Hazing Victims in Holmes County: Your Legal Rights and Path to Justice

Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines – And Neither Do We

Holmes County families send their children to college expecting them to be safe. They trust universities to protect their students. They believe Greek organizations will provide positive experiences. But when that trust is betrayed through hazing, the consequences can be devastating.

At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from extreme hazing. This isn’t just happening in Houston – it’s happening at universities near Holmes County, and it could be happening to your child.

If your child has been the victim of hazing at a college or university in or near Holmes County, we can help. We serve hazing victims nationwide, including Holmes County families, with the same aggressive representation we’re bringing to our current case.

What Counts as Hazing in Holmes County?

Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or harmless “tradition.” Under Mississippi law and most state laws, hazing includes any activity that:

✅ Endangers physical or mental health – Forced exercise to exhaustion, sleep deprivation, extreme weather exposure
✅ Involves forced consumption – Alcohol, food, or other substances to the point of vomiting or illness
✅ Includes physical abuse – Beating, paddling, branding, or other violent acts
✅ Causes psychological trauma – Humiliation, degradation, or threats
✅ Creates unreasonable risk – Any activity that could reasonably cause serious harm

Examples from our current case that could be happening near Holmes County:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups until muscles break down (rhabdomyolysis)
• Struck with wooden paddles as punishment
• Forced to eat until vomiting, then made to keep exercising
• Forced to carry sexual objects as humiliation
• Another pledge hog-tied face-down on a table for over an hour

This isn’t tradition. It’s torture.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Hazing in Holmes County?

When hazing occurs, multiple parties can be held legally and financially responsible, including:

In our current case, we’re suing:

• Pi Kappa Phi National
• The local chapter
• The housing corporation
• The University of Houston (who owned the fraternity house)
• 13 individual members
• A former member and his spouse (who allowed hazing at their home)

Holmes County families can pursue the same accountability against the same types of defendants.

What Are Your Legal Rights as a Holmes County Hazing Victim?

1. Right to Compensation for Your Injuries

Hazing victims are entitled to compensation for:

Recent hazing verdicts and settlements:

• $10.1 million – Stone Foltz (Pi Kappa Alpha, Bowling Green State)
• $6.1 million – Maxwell Gruver (Phi Delta Theta, LSU)
• $110+ million – Timothy Piazza (Beta Theta Pi, Penn State)

Holmes County families can achieve similar results.

2. Right to Hold Institutions Accountable

Universities and national fraternities often try to avoid responsibility by:

• Claiming they didn’t know about the hazing
• Arguing the victim “consented” to participate
• Saying it was just “a few bad apples”

We know how to defeat these defenses:
✅ “They didn’t know” – Universities and nationals almost always have prior hazing incidents. We find the pattern.
✅ “Consent” – Mississippi law (like Texas law) explicitly states that consent is NOT a defense to hazing. The law is clear.
✅ “Just a few bad apples” – When hazing is systematic and involves multiple members, the entire organization is liable.

In our current case:

• Pi Kappa Phi had a prior hazing death (Andrew Coffey, 2017) and did nothing to prevent it from happening again
• The University of Houston had a prior hazing hospitalization (2017) and did nothing to prevent another
• They knew. They failed to act. They’re liable.

The same pattern exists at universities near Holmes County.

3. Right to Prevent Future Hazing

When hazing cases are exposed, they often lead to:

• Chapter closures – The UH Pi Kappa Phi chapter was permanently closed
• Criminal charges – Hazing is a crime in Mississippi (up to felony charges for deaths)
• Legislative change – Recent cases have led to new laws making hazing a felony
• University reform – Forced changes to Greek life oversight

Your Holmes County case can save lives by preventing future hazing.

What Should Holmes County Families Do If Their Child Is Hazed?

STEP 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

✅ Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
✅ Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) symptoms may be delayed – dark urine, severe muscle pain, difficulty moving
✅ Psychological trauma may not appear immediately – PTSD, anxiety, and depression can develop over time
✅ Medical records create critical evidence for your case

In our current case, the victim’s mother rushed him to the hospital when he couldn’t move and had dark urine. Those medical records are now key evidence.

STEP 2: Preserve All Evidence

📱 Save all communications:

• Text messages
• GroupMe, WhatsApp, Snapchat messages
• Emails
• Social media posts (even if deleted, screenshots help)

📸 Take photos and videos:

• Injuries at all stages of healing
• Hazing locations
• Items used in hazing (paddles, alcohol bottles, etc.)

📝 Document everything:

• Names of people involved
• Dates and locations of hazing activities
• What was said and done
• Witness contact information

🚫 Do NOT:

• Delete any messages or posts
• Talk to fraternity/sorority members without legal counsel
• Sign anything from the organization
• Post about the incident on social media

In our current case, we have detailed documentation of weeks of systematic abuse. This evidence is critical to winning.

STEP 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization or Their Lawyers

🚨 Warning: Universities and fraternities have teams of lawyers whose job is to minimize your claim or deny responsibility. They will:

• Ask you to give a recorded statement
• Pressure you to sign documents
• Offer you a low settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries
• Try to blame you for “consenting” to hazing

You are not obligated to talk to them. Refer all communications to your attorney.

STEP 4: Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney Immediately

⏳ Statute of Limitations: In Mississippi, you typically have 3 years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. However:

• Evidence disappears quickly
• Witnesses forget details
• Organizations destroy records

📞 Call Attorney 911 now for a free consultation:
1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Website: attorney911.com

We offer:
✔ Free case evaluation – No obligation
✔ Contingency fee – You pay $0 upfront. We only get paid if we win your case.
✔ Nationwide representation – We serve Holmes County families and hazing victims across America
✔ Video consultations – Meet with us remotely if you can’t travel
✔ Travel to Holmes County – We come to you for depositions, meetings, and trials

Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Holmes County Hazing Case?

1. We Are Currently Fighting a $10 Million Hazing Case

We don’t just talk about hazing litigation – we’re in the courtroom right now fighting for a hazing victim hospitalized with kidney failure. Holmes County families get the same aggressive representation.

2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys – We Know Their Playbook

Both of our attorneys worked for insurance companies before switching to represent victims. We know exactly how they try to deny claims and minimize payouts. We use that insider knowledge to maximize your compensation.

3. Federal Court Authority – We Can Pursue Your Case Anywhere

We are admitted to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and have experience in federal litigation. This allows us to pursue hazing cases nationwide, including for Holmes County families.

4. Dual-State Bar Licenses – Texas and New York

This gives us strategic advantage when suing national fraternities headquartered in other states.

5. Proven Track Record of Multi-Million Dollar Results

We have obtained millions in settlements and verdicts for personal injury victims, including:

• BP Texas City explosion litigation (mass tort experience)
• Wrongful death cases
• Catastrophic injury cases
• Cases against major corporations and institutions

We know how to take on powerful defendants – and win.

6. We Understand Greek Life Culture

Ralph Manginello is a former athlete and coach who understands team dynamics, locker room culture, and the pressures young people face in Greek organizations. We know how to expose the truth behind the “brotherhood” facade.

7. We Serve Holmes County Families with Compassion and Aggression

We treat every client like family. Holmes County families are not just cases to us – they’re our community. We fight aggressively because we truly care about our clients.

Holmes County Universities and Greek Organizations on Notice

To fraternities and sororities operating near Holmes County:
We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter. If you haze students in or near Holmes County, we will find every liable entity and hold them accountable.

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Nu, Delta Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon – if your chapter operates near Holmes County, know that Attorney 911 represents hazing victims across America.

To universities near Holmes County:
The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now or face the same accountability.

Holmes County Families: You Are Not Alone

Hazing victims often feel:
😞 Shame – “I should have known better”
😨 Fear – “They’ll come after me if I speak up”
🤝 Loyalty – “I don’t want to get my friends in trouble”
💔 Grief – “I just wanted to belong”

These feelings are normal, but they shouldn’t stop you from seeking justice.

You have the right to:
✅ Hold those responsible accountable
✅ Receive compensation for your injuries
✅ Prevent this from happening to someone else

We will protect you. We will fight for you. We will make them pay.

Holmes County Hazing Victims: Take Action Now

📞 Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for a free, confidential consultation
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com

We serve Holmes County families and hazing victims nationwide. Distance is not a barrier to justice.

The same fraternities that hazed our client in Houston operate near Holmes County. The same universities that failed to protect students in Houston have chapters near Holmes County. The same culture of abuse exists near Holmes County.

It’s time to stop it.

Enough is enough.