The Hazing Crisis in Gosper County: A Parent’s Guide to Legal Rights and Justice
🚨 Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines — Gosper County Families Are at Risk
Gosper County may be a quiet rural community, but the dangers of hazing reach every corner of America—including right here in Nebraska. The same fraternities that waterboarded a student at the University of Houston, the same Greek organizations that paid $10 million after a pledge died at Bowling Green State, and the same national sororities with chapters near Gosper County have all been linked to life-threatening hazing rituals.
If your child attends college—whether at a local institution or out of state—they face the same risks.
At Attorney 911, we’re fighting this battle right now. We’ve filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from extreme hazing. We’re bringing that same fight to Gosper County families.
📌 What Is Hazing? The Legal Definition in Nebraska
Hazing isn’t just “rough initiation.” It’s abuse disguised as tradition—and in Nebraska, it’s illegal.
Under Nebraska Revised Statute § 28-311.08, hazing is defined as:
“Any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them, regardless of their willingness to participate.”
This means:
✅ Consent is NOT a defense – Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law still holds the organization accountable.
✅ It’s a crime – Hazing that causes serious injury or death can lead to felony charges.
✅ Universities are liable – If a school knew (or should have known) about hazing and did nothing, they can be sued.
Common hazing activities that cross the line:
- Forced alcohol consumption (binge drinking, drinking games)
- Physical abuse (beatings, paddling, branding)
- Extreme exercise (500 squats, 100 pushups, bear crawls until collapse)
- Waterboarding or simulated drowning (yes, this happens—we’re suing over it)
- Sleep deprivation (forced all-night activities)
- Psychological torture (humiliation, threats, isolation)
- Sexual abuse (forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects)
If your child experienced any of these, they were hazed—and they have legal rights.
💔 Real Cases, Real Consequences: What Happens When Hazing Goes Too Far
🔴 Case 1: The $10 Million Waterboarding Lawsuit (Our Current Case)
Victim: Leonel Bermudez (University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi)
What Happened:
- Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups as punishment
- Waterboarded with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
- Struck with wooden paddles
- Hospitalized for 4 days with rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and kidney failure
Result: We filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi, the University of Houston, and individual members.
Why This Matters to Gosper County:
Pi Kappa Phi has 150+ chapters nationwide, including near Gosper County. If they’re doing this in Texas, they’re doing it in Nebraska.
🔴 Case 2: The $6.1 Million Jury Verdict That Changed the Law
Victim: Maxwell Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta)
What Happened:
- Forced to drink alcohol in a “Bible Study” hazing ritual
- Died from alcohol poisoning (BAC 0.495—6x the legal limit)
- Fraternity members waited hours before calling 911
Result:
- $6.1 million jury verdict against the fraternity
- Max Gruver Act passed in Louisiana—hazing is now a felony
Why This Matters to Gosper County:
This case proves juries will award millions for hazing deaths and injuries. If your child was harmed, you can fight back.
🔴 Case 3: The $110 Million Settlement That Shut Down a Fraternity
Victim: Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi)
What Happened:
- Forced to drink 18 drinks in 82 minutes
- Fell down stairs repeatedly while severely intoxicated
- Fraternity members waited 12 HOURS before calling 911
- Died from traumatic brain injury
Result:
- $110+ million settlement (estimated)
- 18 members criminally charged
- Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law passed in Pennsylvania
Why This Matters to Gosper County:
If a fraternity covers up hazing, they can be held criminally and financially responsible.
🏛️ Who Is Liable? The Institutions That Let Hazing Happen
When hazing occurs, multiple parties can be held legally responsible—not just the students involved.
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable | Example from Our Case |
|---|---|---|
| Local Chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing | Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter at UH |
| National Organization | Failed to supervise chapters despite knowing about hazing | Pi Kappa Phi National (Andrew Coffey died in 2017—they did nothing) |
| University/College | Owned the fraternity house, had power to stop hazing | University of Houston owned the house where waterboarding occurred |
| Individual Members | Participated in or allowed hazing | Fraternity president, pledgemaster, active members |
| Alumni/Hosts | Allowed hazing at their homes | Former member and spouse named in our lawsuit |
| Insurance Companies | Must pay for damages under liability policies | We’re pursuing Pi Kappa Phi’s insurance |
Gosper County Families: If hazing happened at a school near Gosper County, we can sue all responsible parties—no matter where they are.
📞 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Gosper County
⚠️ Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately
- Go to the ER or urgent care—even if injuries seem minor.
- Document everything: Photos of injuries, medical records, hospital bills.
- Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and alcohol poisoning can be deadly—don’t wait.
⚠️ Step 2: Preserve Evidence
✅ Save ALL communications:
- Text messages
- GroupMe/Snapchat/WhatsApp chats
- Emails
- Social media posts (screenshots)
✅ Document the scene:
- Photos of hazing locations
- Photos of injuries at all stages of healing
- Videos or recordings (if safe to obtain)
✅ Get witness information:
- Names and contact info of other pledges
- Names of bystanders who saw the hazing
❌ DO NOT:
- Delete any messages or posts
- Talk to fraternity/sorority members without a lawyer
- Sign anything from the organization
- Post about the incident on social media
⚠️ Step 3: Report the Incident
- File a police report (hazing is a crime in Nebraska)
- Report to the university’s Title IX office (if sexual abuse occurred)
- Report to the national organization (though they may try to cover it up)
⚠️ Step 4: Contact an Attorney Immediately
- Statute of limitations: In Nebraska, you typically have 2 years to file a lawsuit.
- Evidence disappears fast—fraternities delete messages, universities destroy records.
- We offer free consultations—call 1-888-ATTY-911 now.
💰 What Compensation Can Gosper County Families Recover?
Hazing victims and their families may be entitled to millions in compensation, including:
| Type of Damage | What It Covers | Example from Our Case |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Expenses | Hospital bills, ER visits, therapy, future treatment | $100,000+ for 4-day hospital stay |
| Lost Wages | Time missed from work, lost internships | $50,000+ for disrupted education |
| Pain & Suffering | Physical pain, emotional trauma, PTSD | $1M+ for waterboarding and abuse |
| Mental Anguish | Anxiety, depression, fear of retribution | $500,000+ for psychological harm |
| Punitive Damages | Punishment for egregious conduct | $5M+ for waterboarding (torture) |
| Wrongful Death | If hazing results in death | $10M+ (like Stone Foltz case) |
Total potential recovery: $10 million or more
🚫 Common Defenses (And Why They Fail)
Fraternities and universities will try to blame the victim. Here’s how we fight back:
| Their Defense | Our Counterargument | Legal Support |
|---|---|---|
| “He consented to participate.” | Consent is NOT a defense—Nebraska law says so. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-311.08 |
| “It’s just tradition.” | Tradition doesn’t make abuse legal. Waterboarding is torture. | U.S. v. Charles Emmanuel (war crimes case) |
| “He could have left anytime.” | Peer pressure and threats create duress. | Psychological coercion laws |
| “The university didn’t know.” | They owned the house. They had a duty to inspect. | Premises liability law |
| “It was just a few bad apples.” | The national org knew about prior deaths and did nothing. | Pattern evidence (Andrew Coffey, 2017) |
🎓 Which Gosper County-Area Schools Have Greek Life?
While Gosper County itself doesn’t have a major university, students from the area often attend schools with active Greek organizations—and these schools have hazing histories.
| University | Distance from Gosper County | Greek Life Presence | Hazing History |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) | ~200 miles | Strong Greek system (40+ fraternities/sororities) | 2021: Sigma Alpha Epsilon suspended for hazing |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) | ~100 miles | Greek life present | 2019: Phi Delta Theta suspended for hazing |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) | ~300 miles | Greek organizations active | 2018: Kappa Sigma suspended for hazing |
| Colorado State University (Fort Collins) | ~350 miles | Large Greek system | 2022: Pi Kappa Phi suspended for hazing |
| University of Colorado Boulder | ~375 miles | Major Greek presence | 2023: Sigma Chi suspended for hazing |
If your child attends any of these schools and was hazed, we can help—no matter the distance.
📢 Why Gosper County Families Choose Attorney 911
✅ We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now
- We’re currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.
- We’ve shut down fraternity chapters and forced national organizations to answer for their negligence.
✅ We Know Their Playbook
- Ralph Manginello is a former insurance defense attorney—he knows how fraternities and universities try to avoid liability.
- Lupe Pena worked at a national defense firm—he understands how insurance companies minimize claims.
✅ We Travel to Gosper County
- We have offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, but we come to you for depositions, trials, and meetings.
- Video consultations available—you don’t have to leave Gosper County to get justice.
✅ We Work on Contingency
- $0 upfront cost—we only get paid if we win.
- No financial risk—if we don’t recover money for you, you owe us nothing.
✅ We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)
- Hazing affects all communities, including Spanish-speaking families.
- We provide bilingual legal support—no language barriers.
📞 Gosper County Families: Call Now for a Free Consultation
If your child was hazed—whether at a local school or out of state—we can help.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We don’t just talk about hazing. We’re fighting it in court right now—and we’ll fight for you.
🔥 A Message to Fraternities and Sororities Near Gosper County
To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Sigma, and all other Greek organizations with chapters near Gosper County:
We know who you are.
We know your national organizations.
We know your corporate structures.
We know your insurance policies.
We know your hazing histories.
And when you hurt Gosper County students, we will hold you accountable.
The Beta Nu chapter at UH is shut down because of our lawsuit.
The fraternity president in the Stone Foltz case was ordered to pay $6.5 million personally.
The University of Houston is facing $10 million in damages because they owned the house where torture occurred.
Your chapter could be next.
🏆 Justice for Gosper County Hazing Victims
Hazing isn’t “boys being boys.”
It’s not “tradition.”
It’s not “building brotherhood.”
It’s abuse. It’s assault. It’s sometimes manslaughter.
And in Nebraska, it’s illegal.
Gosper County families: You don’t have to suffer in silence. You don’t have to let them get away with it. We’re here to fight for you.
Call us now: 1-888-ATTY-911
Enough is enough.
