Hazing in Texas: A Guide for Kilgore Families Seeking Justice and Accountability

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

We understand the heart-stopping moment when the phone rings and your student’s voice sounds different—strained, scared, or secretive. For parents in Kilgore, Longview, and across East Texas, sending a child to college is a proud milestone. The dream can shatter when that pursuit of belonging turns into a nightmare of coercion, abuse, and injury within a fraternity, sorority, Corps of Cadets, or athletic team.

Right now, in our own state, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a former pledge at the University of Houston (UH) who suffered catastrophic injuries at the hands of the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. This active, high-stakes lawsuit alleges a brutal campaign of physical and psychological hazing in Fall 2025 that resulted in rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring a four-day hospitalization and posing a permanent risk to his health. The alleged acts—detailed in reports by Click2Houston and ABC13—include forced overconsumption of food, extreme physical workouts, humiliating “pledge fanny pack” rules, and threats of expulsion. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter has been shut down, but the fight for justice continues.

This is not an isolated incident. Hazing is a systemic problem at campuses across Texas, including those where Kilgore families send their children. The institutions and national organizations behind these groups have deep pockets, powerful lawyers, and sophisticated insurance strategies designed to minimize payouts and silence families.

This guide is written specifically for you—parents and families in Kilgore, Gregg County, and throughout East Texas. Our goal is to cut through the confusion and secrecy to give you a clear, comprehensive understanding of hazing in 2025, your legal rights under Texas law, and the realistic path to holding the responsible parties accountable.

If you are in crisis right now, call 1-888-ATTY-911. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

Understanding Hazing in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is not a harmless rite of passage or a series of “dumb pranks.” It is a calculated abuse of power that uses coercion, tradition, and social pressure to force individuals to endure acts that endanger their physical or mental health for the purpose of joining or maintaining status in a group.

For Kilgore families, it’s crucial to recognize that hazing has evolved. It often hides behind euphemisms like “team building,” “character development,” or “tradition.” The most dangerous acts have moved off-campus to Airbnbs, private rentals, and remote “retreats” to avoid university oversight.

The Three Tiers of Modern Hazing

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing (The “Gateway”)
This establishes power imbalance and seems harmless, but sets the stage for worse. Examples include:

• Mandatory, all-hours chauffeuring for older members.
• Carrying a “pledge pack” with humiliating items.
• Being “on call” 24/7 via group chat, required to respond instantly.
• Social isolation from friends and family outside the group.

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing (Emotional and Physical Discomfort)
This causes measurable harm and a hostile environment. Examples include:

• Sleep deprivation through late-night or early-morning “meetings.”
• Verbal abuse, yelling, and degradation sessions (“grilling”).
• Forced consumption of unpleasant substances (massive amounts of milk, hot sauce, raw food).
• Calisthenics as punishment (“smokings”) to the point of exhaustion.

Tier 3: Violent Hazing (High Risk of Injury or Death)
This is criminal assault. Examples include:

• Forced alcohol consumption: “Big/Little” nights, drinking games like “Bible study,” lineups, forcing a handle of liquor.
• Physical beatings: Paddling, punching, tackling.
• Sexualized hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts.
• Dangerous environments: Being locked in extreme cold, forced into unsafe physical challenges.

The Bermudez case at UH is a textbook example of Tiers 2 and 3 escalating together: forced eating leading to vomiting, followed by punitive sprints; extreme workouts causing life-threatening kidney injury; psychological manipulation with threats of expulsion.

Texas Law and Your Family’s Rights

Texas takes hazing seriously. The primary law is found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding its key points is the first step to knowing your power.

What Texas Law Says

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization.
• Location is Irrelevant: The law applies to acts on or off campus.
• “Consent is No Defense”: This is critical. Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that a victim’s so-called “agreement” to participate is not a defense against hazing charges. Courts recognize that true consent cannot exist under peer pressure and power imbalance.
• Criminal Penalties:
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that does not cause serious injury.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation.
• Immunity for Good Faith Reporting: Individuals who report hazing or call for medical help in good faith are protected from civil and criminal liability for their own minor involvement (like underage drinking).

Civil Lawsuits: The Path to Compensation and Accountability

A criminal case is about state punishment. A civil lawsuit is how your family seeks compensation for the harm done and forces institutional change. They can proceed simultaneously.

In a civil hazing case, we can seek damages from a universe of potentially liable parties:

1. The Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or covered up the acts.
2. The Local Chapter: As an entity, if it is incorporated.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to supervise, enforce policies, or act on known patterns of abuse.
4. The University: For negligent supervision, violating Title IX (if sexual harassment is involved), or showing “deliberate indifference” to a known danger.
5. Property Owners & Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alumni advisors, or event venues.

We recover damages for:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (ER, hospital, surgery, therapy), future medical care, lost wages, and diminished future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: If the worst happens, families can seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional anguish.

The Hazing Landscape at Texas Universities: Where Kilgore Students Go

Kilgore families have deep ties to Texas higher education. Students from our community attend schools across the state, from local institutions to major flagship universities. Each campus has its own Greek life and organizational culture—and its own history of hazing incidents.

The University of Houston: A Case Study in Crisis

As our active litigation shows, hazing at UH is a present and severe danger. The alleged abuse of Leonel Bermudez by Pi Kappa Phi occurred at the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and during workouts at Yellowstone Boulevard Park. UH’s response—calling the conduct “deeply disturbing” and cooperating after the chapter was shut down—highlights the typical pattern: action only after a catastrophe becomes public.

For Kilgore students at UH, reporting channels include the Dean of Students Office and UHPD. However, as we know from experience, navigating the university’s internal process alone rarely yields full accountability or adequate compensation for catastrophic injuries.

Texas A&M University and the Corps of Cadets

The culture of tradition at Texas A&M, particularly within the Corps of Cadets, can sometimes mask abuse. We have seen cases alleging shocking acts, including a 2023 lawsuit where a cadet claimed he was bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. Fraternity hazing also persists, such as a Sigma Alpha Epsilon lawsuit where pledges allegedly suffered severe chemical burns from industrial cleaner.

For families in Kilgore with children at A&M, it’s vital to understand that the university’s storied traditions do not immunize it from liability when those traditions cross the line into abuse.

The University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin maintains one of the more transparent public hazing logs in Texas. A review shows repeated violations across fraternities, sororities, and spirit groups like the Texas Cowboys. Incidents range from forced alcohol consumption to dangerous physical trials. This transparency is a double-edged sword: it shows the problem is acknowledged, yet ongoing.

Southern Methodist University and Baylor University

These private institutions have significant Greek life presence and their own hazing histories. SMU has suspended chapters like Kappa Alpha Order for paddling and forced drinking. Baylor, while emphasizing its Christian mission, has faced hazing scandals within its athletic programs, such as baseball. Private school status can make internal records harder to access, but it does not shield them from civil liability.

The National Organizations Behind the Letters: Pattern and Practice

When your child is hurt by a local chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, or Phi Delta Theta, you are not just fighting a group of college students. You are facing a national organization with a budget, insurance policies, a legal team, and often, a documented history of the same dangerous behaviors.

This “pattern and practice” evidence is powerful in court. It shows foreseeability—the national headquarters knew or should have known that this type of hazing was a predictable risk because it has happened in their chapters before.

• Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): The national organization was involved in the Stone Foltz case at Bowling Green State University (2021), a fatal alcohol hazing that resulted in a $10 million settlement.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): Facing lawsuits nationwide, including a traumatic brain injury case at the University of Alabama and the chemical burn case at Texas A&M.
• Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): The Max Gruver case at LSU (2017) involved a fatal “Bible study” drinking game and led to Louisiana’s felony hazing law.
• Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): The national is a defendant in our UH Bermudez case. It was also involved in the Andrew Coffey case at Florida State University (2017), another fatal alcohol hazing.

We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public records, to track these organizations. For example, IRS and Cause IQ data shows over 125 registered Greek organizations in Texas, with hubs in every major metro. This investigative backbone allows us to immediately identify the corporate entities, alumni housing corporations, and insurance policies behind the local chapter that harmed your child.

How Attorney911 Builds a Winning Hazing Case for Kilgore Families

Filing a lawsuit is not the first step. Building an undeniable case is. Our approach is methodical, evidence-based, and leverages our unique advantages.

Our Data-Driven Investigation

Before we even file, we activate our intelligence network. We identify every entity with potential liability using tools like:

• IRS B83 Records: To find the legal names, EINs, and addresses of Texas-based fraternity house corporations and alumni chapters.
• Campus & Metro Directories: To understand the specific Greek ecosystem surrounding the university in question.
• National Incident Databases: To document the defendant organization’s history of identical hazing conduct across the country.

Critical Evidence Preservation

Evidence disappears within days—sometimes hours. We guide families to immediately:

1. Screenshot All Digital Evidence: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Instagram DMs. Capture full threads with timestamps.
2. Photograph Injuries: Multiple angles, with a scale (like a coin) for reference. Take pictures over several days to show progression.
3. Secure Physical Evidence: Do not wash stained clothing. Save props, paddles, or bottles.
4. Document Medical Care: Go to the ER and tell the doctor you were hazed. This creates a crucial link in the medical record.
5. Write a Contemporary Narrative: Write down everything your child tells you, with dates and names, while memories are fresh.

We have a detailed video on using your phone to document a legal case that families find invaluable in these first chaotic hours.

Overcoming Institutional Defense Tactics

We know the playbook because Mr. Lupe Peña used to work on the other side as an insurance defense attorney. We anticipate their strategies:

• “Consent” Defense: We counter with Texas law (§ 37.155) and expert testimony on coercive group dynamics.
• “Rogue Chapter” Defense: We subpoena the national’s records to show prior warnings and a pattern of similar incidents they failed to stop.
• Insurance Coverage Denials: We fight arguments that hazing is an “intentional act” by arguing negligent supervision by the national and university—which is often covered.
• University Sovereign Immunity: For public schools like UH or Texas A&M, we navigate exceptions for gross negligence or Title IX violations.

Our experience in billion-dollar litigation like the BP Texas City explosion means we are not intimidated by large institutional defendants. We prepare every case as if it is going to trial, which is the best way to force a fair settlement.

A Practical Guide for Kilgore Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and First Steps

Your child may be in trouble if they:

• Have unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
• Are chronically exhausted or disoriented from sleep deprivation.
• Become secretive or defensive about their organization’s activities.
• Display sudden personality changes—anxiety, depression, or anger.
• Are financially drained, buying large amounts of alcohol or “fines” for the group.
• Are constantly monitoring their phone for group chat demands.

What to do immediately:

1. Prioritize Safety: If they are injured or intoxicated, call 911.
2. Preserve, Don’t Confront: Help them screenshot evidence. Do not confront the fraternity—it triggers evidence destruction.
3. Seek Medical Documentation: Go to the ER or a doctor. A medical record is critical evidence.
4. Write Everything Down: Create a timeline with names, dates, and details.
5. Call Us: Contact Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation before you report to the university. We can help you navigate the next steps without jeopardizing your rights.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You have the right to leave. You cannot be legally bound to an organization that is harming you.
• You have the right to call 911. Texas law and most school policies offer “good faith” immunity for those seeking medical help.
• Your “consent” is not a legal defense for your abusers.
• Document everything you can safely. Screenshots, photos, recordings (Texas is a one-party consent state).

Critical Mistakes to Avoid

1. Deleting Evidence: It feels instinctive to erase humiliating group chats, but this destroys your case.
2. Confronting the Chapter Directly: This gives them a head start to lawyer up and align their stories.
3. Signing University Paperwork: Do not sign any resolution, waiver, or settlement from the school without an attorney’s review.
4. Posting on Social Media: Venting online can be used against you to undermine your credibility.
5. Waiting Too Long: Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, but evidence and witness memories fade fast. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations for more detail.

Why Kilgore Families Choose Attorney911 for Hazing Litigation

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a lawyer. You need advocates who understand the profound emotional toll, the complexity of institutional cover-ups, and the specific tactics used by fraternity and university insurers. You need a team that is already fighting this fight.

We are that team. Here is why:

• We Are Leading a Major Texas Hazing Case Right Now: We represent Leonel Bermudez in the $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. This isn’t theoretical—we are in the trenches, navigating the exact legal and strategic challenges your family may face.

• Insider Knowledge of Insurance Defense Tactics: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense lawyer for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how insurance companies for fraternities and universities value claims, employ delay tactics, and fight coverage. He now uses that insider knowledge to benefit injured victims.

• Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Founding attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the complex BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by large institutions with unlimited legal budgets.

• A Texas-Wide, Data-Driven Practice: We are based in Houston, with offices in Austin and Beaumont, serving families across Texas. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine gives us an unmatched investigative head start. We don’t begin from zero—we begin with data.

• Comprehensive Compassionate Advocacy: We handle both the civil lawsuit for compensation and, with Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we can advise on the intersecting criminal aspects. We also ensure our clients get the medical and psychological care they need to heal.

We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win your case. Learn more about how contingency fees work.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved will have lawyers from day one. You should too.

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to every family that contacts us. In this meeting, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal options in clear, straightforward terms.
• Outline the potential paths forward, including litigation.
• Answer all your questions about process, timeline, and cost.

Hablamos Español. Mr. Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

For Kilgore families seeking justice, the path starts with a single call.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC | Attorney911
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or form an attorney-client relationship. The law is complex and constantly evolving. If you or your child has been a victim of hazing, please contact a qualified attorney to discuss the specific facts of your case. Results in any case depend on the specific facts and applicable law.