The Definitive Guide to Hazing Laws, Cases, and Accountability for Denali Borough Families: Protecting Students at Alaskan and National Universities

An Immediate Message for Families in Denali Borough Facing a Hazing Crisis

It’s a call no parent in Denali Borough—from Healy to Cantwell, from Anderson to McKinley Village—ever wants to receive. Your student, hundreds or thousands of miles from the vast, quiet wilderness of home, is whispering over the phone from their college dorm. Their voice is strained, evasive. They mention “mandatory” late-night meetings, feeling exhausted beyond normal studying, or unexplained injuries brushed off as “just part of the process.” A sinking feeling tells you this is more than typical college stress. It’s the chilling suspicion that your child is being hazed—subjected to dangerous, degrading, or illegal acts for the sake of joining a group.

Hazing is not a distant problem confined to Lower 48 fraternity rows. It is a national epidemic that reaches students from Alaska in campuses across the country. When your child leaves the tight-knit communities of the Denali Borough for college, they seek connection and belonging. Tragically, some organizations exploit that desire through coercion and abuse disguised as tradition.

Right now, our firm is actively fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the nation. We represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and 13 individual members after he suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure from brutal hazing rituals. This case is not an anomaly; it is a stark example of the systemic abuse occurring within Greek life and other campus groups nationwide—groups that also count students from Alaska among their members.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in the Denali Borough and across Alaska. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the legal frameworks that apply whether your child is at an Alaska university or a school in the Lower 48, the sobering national history of hazing injuries and deaths, and, most importantly, the practical steps you can take to protect your child and hold accountable the powerful institutions that failed them.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency

If you suspect your child is in immediate danger:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the first 48 hours, before evidence disappears:

1. Secure Medical Care: Insist on a full medical evaluation. Symptoms like extreme fatigue, confusion, or brown urine (a sign of rhabdomyolysis) require immediate emergency attention.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Help your child take screenshots of ALL relevant group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord), text messages, and social media posts. Do not let them delete anything out of shame or fear.
3. Document Physically: Photograph any injuries from multiple angles. Save any clothing or objects involved.
4. Write It Down: Record everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, specific acts—while their memory is fresh.
5. Contact Specialized Counsel: Call our hazing litigation team at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential, no-obligation case evaluation. We will guide you on preserving rights and evidence before universities or organizations control the narrative.

Hazing in the Modern Era: What It Really Looks Like in 2025

Hazing has evolved far beyond outdated stereotypes. It is a calculated pattern of coercion that endangers mental and physical health for the purpose of affiliation. For Alaskan students often navigating a very different social landscape far from home, the pressure to conform can be immense.

The Broad, Legal Definition

Hazing encompasses any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, admission, affiliation, or continued membership in any organization. Crucially, the victim’s “consent” is not a defense. The law recognizes the inherent power imbalance and coercion in these situations.

Categories of Modern Hazing

• Alcohol & Substance Hazing: Forced or coerced consumption of alcohol to the point of poisoning; consuming unknown concoctions or dangerous substances.
• Physical Hazing: Paddling, beatings, “smokings” (extreme calisthenics), sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, and forced physical labor.
• Psychological & Humiliating Hazing: Verbal abuse, threats, isolation, forced embarrassing acts, public degradation, and wearing demeaning attire.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and sexual assault.
• Digital Hazing: 24/7 demands via group chats, forced social media posting, cyberbullying, and digital surveillance.

Where Hazing Occurs

While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing is pervasive in:

• Athletic teams and spirit groups.
• Military-style organizations (ROTC, Corps of Cadets).
• Marching bands and performance ensembles.
• Academic clubs, honor societies, and service organizations.
• Campus “spirit” or tradition-keeping groups.

For Alaskan students, who may be experiencing organized Greek life for the first time, the lines between rigorous tradition and illegal abuse can be deliberately blurred.

The Legal Framework: Criminal & Civil Liability for Hazing

The legal battle against hazing operates on two parallel tracks: criminal prosecution by the state and civil lawsuits by victims and families seeking justice and compensation. Understanding both is critical.

Criminal Hazing Laws

While Alaska has its own statutes addressing harassment and assault, there is no specific, standalone felony hazing law like those in Texas, Ohio, or Louisiana. However, acts committed during hazing are frequently prosecuted under existing criminal codes:

• Assault (in various degrees)
• Providing alcohol to minors
• Reckless endangerment
• Kidnapping or unlawful restraint
• Sexual assault

The criminal process aims to punish the perpetrators with jail time, fines, and probation.

Civil Liability & Lawsuits

A civil lawsuit is separate from any criminal case and is brought by the injured student or their family. The goal is to obtain financial compensation for damages and to hold all responsible parties accountable. In a civil hazing case, liability can extend far beyond the individual who inflicted harm.

Potential Defendants in a Civil Hazing Case Include:

1. The Individual Perpetrators: Students who planned, executed, or facilitated the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: The fraternity, sorority, or club as an organized entity.
3. The National Organization: The fraternity or sorority headquarters that sets policy, collects dues, and oversees chapters. They can be liable for negligent supervision and for failing to stop known, dangerous patterns.
4. The University or College: Schools can be sued for negligence if they knew or should have known about a dangerous hazing culture and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it. This applies under Title IX if the hazing is sex-based, and under general duty-of-care principles.
5. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alumni advisors, or event venues that enabled the conduct.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX and the Clery Act

• Title IX: Requires schools receiving federal funding to address sex-based harassment and discrimination. Sexualized hazing often triggers Title IX investigations.
• The Clery Act: Mandates that universities track and report certain crimes, including assaults and liquor law violations, which often coincide with hazing incidents.
• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring increased transparency in hazing reporting and prevention by 2026.

For Alaska families, this means that even if your child is attending a university outside the state, federal laws provide certain protections and reporting requirements that their school must follow.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Tragic Script That Repeats

The hazing that injured our client, Leonel Bermudez at the University of Houston, follows a devastating national pattern. These are not isolated incidents; they are a predictable cycle. Understanding these patterns is key to proving institutional liability.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Forced to drink a bottle of alcohol; died of alcohol poisoning. Result: Multiple criminal convictions and a $10 million total settlement.
• Max Gruver (Louisiana State University, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died after a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: The Max Gruver Act making hazing a felony in Louisiana.
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State University, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died from acute alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother” night. Result: FSU suspended all Greek life.

The Physical Brutality Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded, violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. Result: The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania.
• Danny Santulli (University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Result: Multi-million dollar settlements with 22 defendants.

The Athletic & Program Hazing Pattern

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to numerous lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements.

What This Means for Alaskan Families: The national fraternities and sororities present on campuses from Fairbanks to Florida have documented histories of these deadly patterns. When a chapter repeats them, it demonstrates foreseeability—the national organization and the university should have seen it coming and taken steps to prevent it. This is a cornerstone of negligence law in civil lawsuits.

The Alaskan & Pacific Northwest University Context

While Alaska’s university system has a different scale than Texas, the risks of hazing and institutional failure are present. Students from Denali Borough attend universities both within Alaska and across the Pacific Northwest and the nation, where Greek life is prominent.

Universities Relevant to Denali Borough Families

Alaskan students often pursue higher education at:

Within Alaska:

• University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF): Home to the nationally recognized Nanooks athletic teams and student organizations.
• University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA): The state’s largest university, with Greek life including fraternities like Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Tau Kappa Epsilon, and sororities like Alpha Sigma Alpha.
• University of Alaska Southeast (UAS): While smaller, all campuses have student clubs and organizations governed by codes of conduct.

Pacific Northwest & National Schools (Common Destinations):

• University of Washington: Has a large Greek system with a history of hazing incidents and sanctions.
• Washington State University: Notable for Greek life and past hazing investigations.
• University of Oregon & Oregon State University: Both have significant Greek systems where hazing has been reported.
• Schools in the Lower 48: Countless students from Alaska attend universities in California, Colorado, the Midwest, and the East Coast, where the major national fraternities and sororities with hazing histories operate.

The Institutional Response

Alaskan and national universities typically have anti-hazing policies in their student conduct codes. The challenge lies in enforcement, transparency, and the tendency to handle incidents “internally.” Families often find that schools prioritize protecting their reputation over protecting individual students. This is where experienced legal counsel becomes essential to navigate university conduct processes, secure evidence, and prepare for potential civil litigation.

Building a Powerful Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Successfully litigating a hazing case requires an investigative depth and legal strategy that matches the resources of national fraternities and universities. This is where our firm’s unique experience is critical.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

We pursue every avenue of evidence, knowing that organizations will often try to destroy it:

• Digital Forensics: Recovering deleted group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, Discord), text messages, social media posts, and location data.
• Internal Chapter & National Records: Subpoenaing pledge manuals, meeting minutes, risk management reports, and communications between local chapters and national headquarters that show prior knowledge of problems.
• University Files: Obtaining prior conduct reports, Clery Act logs, and internal investigation files on the same organization through discovery.
• Medical & Psychological Records: Documenting the full extent of physical injuries and diagnosing PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other long-term trauma.
• Witness Testimony: Securing statements from other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders.

Our Strategic Advantages in Hazing Litigation

We are not a general practice firm taking on a hazing case. We are complex litigation specialists whose skills are directly transferable:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for national firms. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, deploy delay tactics, and argue coverage exclusions. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Founding partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets and aggressive defense teams of national fraternities or large universities.
• Multi-Million Dollar Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury Experience: We have a proven record of securing significant settlements and verdicts in cases involving life-altering injuries and death. We work with economists and life-care planners to fully value the immense, lifelong impact of hazing injuries.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits, allowing us to effectively advise clients navigating both systems.

Recoverable Damages in a Hazing Case

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim and their family whole, and to deter future misconduct. Recoverable damages can include:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and therapy costs.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional suffering, mental anguish, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (in fatalities): Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of love, companionship, and guidance for the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly egregious or reckless conduct, damages intended to punish the defendant and deter similar behavior in the future.

Practical Guide for Denali Borough Parents & Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Red Flags Your Child May Be Being Hazed:

• Unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Becoming secretive or defensive about organization activities.
• Sudden changes in mood: anxiety, depression, withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Receiving mysterious calls/texts at all hours.
• Financial stress from unexplained “fines” or forced purchases.

What to Do If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. Express concern for their safety, not judgment.
2. Prioritize Health: Insist on a medical evaluation for any physical or psychological symptoms.
3. Preserve Evidence: Gently encourage them to save, not delete, any digital communications. Help them document what happened in writing.
4. Seek Legal Counsel Before Reporting: Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911 before reporting to the university. We can advise on how to report in a way that protects evidence and your child’s rights, as schools often begin their own containment strategies immediately.
5. Do Not Confront the Organization: This can trigger evidence destruction and witness intimidation.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You Have the Right to Be Safe: No tradition justifies endangering your health or life.
• “Consent” is Not a Defense: You cannot legally consent to being hazed.
• Exiting Safely: Your physical and mental safety comes first. If you need to leave a dangerous situation, call 911 or a trusted friend. You can resign your membership at any time via email to create a record.
• Amnesty Policies: Many schools have “medical amnesty” or “good Samaritan” policies that protect students who call for help in an alcohol or medical emergency from minor conduct violations.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case

• Deleting digital evidence out of embarrassment.
• Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly, giving them a head start to destroy evidence and coach witnesses.
• Signing university-offered resolution agreements without having an attorney review them first—these often include waivers of your right to sue.
• Posting details on social media, which can be mined by defense attorneys for inconsistencies.
• Waiting to see how the university “handles it internally.” This delay allows evidence to disappear and statutes of limitations to run.

About The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911: Your Advocates for Accountability

We are a Texas-based complex litigation firm with a national practice in catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and institutional accountability. While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families across the country, including those from Alaska. We bring a unique combination of skills to hazing litigation that most firms cannot match.

Why Choose Us for a Hazing Case?

1. We Are Currently in the Fight: We are lead counsel in the active, high-stakes Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are practicing it at the highest level right now.
2. Insider Knowledge of the Defense Playbook: Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as an insurance defense attorney is an invaluable asset. We understand how the insurance companies for fraternities and universities think, strategize, and undervalue claims.
3. Proven Experience Against Giant Institutions: Our work in the BP Texas City explosion litigation proved our capability to take on billion-dollar defendants with endless legal resources. National fraternities and large universities do not scare us.
4. A Comprehensive, Investigative Approach: We treat every hazing case as a complex investigation. We employ digital forensics experts, work with medical specialists to document injuries, and subpoena national fraternity records to prove patterns of negligence.
5. Empathetic, Victim-Centered Advocacy: We understand the trauma and betrayal families experience. We fight not just for compensation, but for answers, accountability, and change to prevent the next tragedy.

A Call to Action for Denali Borough Families

If your child has been hazed—whether at an Alaskan university, a school in the Pacific Northwest, or anywhere else in the United States—you do not have to face this alone. The organizations involved have lawyers and insurance adjusters whose first goal is to minimize their liability. You need an advocate whose first goal is you.

Contact us today for a free, completely confidential consultation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options in clear terms, and help you understand the path forward. There is no obligation, and we work on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also visit our website at https://attorney911.com or email ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com.

We are here to help you secure justice, provide for your child’s recovery, and force the systemic changes needed to protect all students.

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. If you have been affected by hazing, we strongly urge you to seek immediate legal counsel from a qualified attorney to discuss your specific situation.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) | 1-888-ATTY-911 | https://attorney911.com | Offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas. Serving clients nationwide.