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The Definitive Guide to Hazing Lawsuits, Fraternity Accountability, and Campus Safety for Families in Longview, Texas

To the parents, students, and families of Longview, Gregg County, and East Texas:

Imagine your child, a promising student in their first year of college, texts you they’re going to a “new member event” with their fraternity. Hours later, you get a call from a hospital in Houston, Austin, or College Station. Your child is in the emergency room, their body in acute failure from being forced through hundreds of squats and push-ups, their kidneys shutting down after being made to drink until they vomited. You learn this wasn’t an accident—it was a planned, systematic campaign of humiliation and abuse called “pledging.” You are told the fraternity brothers waited to call for help. You feel terrified, angry, and completely lost.

This is not a hypothetical. It is the reality for families right now in Texas.

In late 2025, we at Attorney911—The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC—filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity pledge. The details are harrowing: a “pledge fanny pack” filled with humiliating items, forced overnight driving duties, sleep deprivation, and extreme physical hazing that led to rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He was hospitalized for four days, passing brown urine, and faces a risk of permanent kidney damage. The Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter is now shut down, and the lawsuit names the university, the national fraternity, its housing corporation, and 13 individual members.

This case is happening right now in our state. And for every public case like Leonel’s, there are countless others that never make the news.

If you are a parent in Longview, Kilgore, Gladewater, or anywhere in Gregg County, your child may be at a local campus like LeTourneau University or may have ventured to a major Texas university hours away. The distance does not lessen the danger or the trauma. This guide is written for you. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the Texas laws designed to protect your child, the national patterns of abuse that repeat on our campuses, and the legal pathways to accountability and recovery. We are Texas-based hazing litigation specialists, and we are here to help your family navigate this crisis.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:

• If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:
  • Call 911 for medical emergencies.
  • Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
• In the first 48 hours:
  • Get medical attention immediately.
  • Preserve evidence: Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), photograph injuries, save any physical items.
  • Write down everything your child tells you (who, what, when, where).
  • Do NOT: Confront the fraternity/sorority, sign anything from the university, or post details on social media.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney: Evidence disappears fast. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, immediate, and confidential consultation.

1. Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

Hazing is not just “boys being boys” or harmless tradition. It is a calculated abuse of power designed to create loyalty through fear, humiliation, and trauma. For Longview families, understanding its modern forms is the first step in identifying danger.

The Three Tiers of Hazing:

• Subtle Hazing: Acts that emphasize power imbalance and set the stage for worse abuse. This includes forced servitude (24/7 errands, being an on-call driver), social isolation from non-members, sleep interruption, and being given a derogatory nickname. At UH, Leonel Bermudez was forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” with condoms and a sex toy at all times—a classic degrading tactic.
• Harassment Hazing: Behavior that causes emotional or physical distress. This includes verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, being forced to eat disgusting food combinations, and “lineups” where pledges are screamed at for hours. The physical “workouts” at Yellowstone Boulevard Park in the Leonel Bermudez case—sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races—fall here, often disguised as “conditioning.”
• Violent Hazing: Activities with a high potential for severe injury or death. This includes forced alcohol consumption (the “Big/Little” night that killed Stone Foltz at Bowling Green), physical beatings with paddles, dangerous rituals like the “glass ceiling” tackle that killed Michael Deng, and sexualized abuse. In the UH case, pledges were sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding” and threatened with actual waterboarding.

Modern Evolution: Digital Hazing and Off-Campus Retreats
Today’s hazing has moved off-campus and online to avoid detection. Groups use encrypted apps like Signal, delete GroupMe messages, and hold “retreats” at Airbnbs or remote properties. Pledges are tracked via location-sharing apps and harassed through 24/7 group chats. What was once “Hell Week” is now a constant, digitally enforced psychological siege.

2. Texas Hazing Law & Liability: A Framework for Longview Families

Texas has specific laws to combat hazing, but they are only as strong as the will to enforce them. Understanding this framework is critical for families seeking justice.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37:
Hazing is defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed at a student for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with an organization that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that student. Critically:

• Location doesn’t matter: It applies on- and off-campus.
• “Consent is NOT a defense” (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “agreed,” it is still hazing under Texas law.
• Criminal Penalties: Ranges from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony if serious bodily injury or death occurs.
• Immunity for Reporting: Good-faith reporters who call for help are protected from liability.

Civil Liability: Who Can Be Held Accountable?
A civil lawsuit seeks compensation and institutional change. Potential defendants include:

• The Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned and carried out the acts.
• The Local Chapter: As an entity that sanctioned or allowed the conduct.
• The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to supervise, enforce policies, or for having prior knowledge of a dangerous “tradition.”
• The University: For negligent supervision, failing to act on prior reports, or violating duties under Title IX or the Clery Act.
• Housing Corporations & Alumni Boards: The legal entities that own property and provide funding.

Our work on the Leonel Bermudez case exemplifies this approach. The lawsuit doesn’t just target the students; it names the Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters, the Beta Nu housing corporation (EIN: 462267515, based in Frisco, TX), the University of Houston System Board of Regents, and the university itself. We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database of over 1,423 Greek organizations across Texas—to identify every entity with potential liability and insurance coverage.

3. Lessons from National Hazing Tragedies: Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The horrific cases that make national news are not anomalies; they are templates. The same patterns of forced drinking, physical abuse, and cover-ups occur at Texas schools.

• The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern: Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017), Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017), and Stone Foltz (Bowling Green, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021) all died after being forced to drink dangerous amounts of alcohol during “bid acceptance” or “Big/Little” nights. These are not parties; they are hazing rituals with predictable, fatal outcomes.
• The Physical “Ritual” Pattern: Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013) died from traumatic brain injury after a violent, blindfolded tackling ritual called “glass ceiling.” This shows how physical hazing traditions persist even within cultural fraternities.
• The Athletic Hazing Pattern: The Northwestern University football scandal (2023-2025) revealed systemic, sexualized hazing within a major athletic program, resulting in multiple lawsuits and confidential settlements. Hazing is not confined to Greek life.

Why These Patterns Matter for Your Case:
In court, this history establishes foreseeability. If a national fraternity like Pi Kappa Alpha has had multiple chapters shut down for fatal alcohol hazing, they cannot claim they didn’t know the risks of a “Big/Little” event. This pattern evidence is crucial for holding national organizations accountable and for seeking punitive damages.

4. The Texas University Landscape: Where Longview Families Send Their Kids

Longview parents have children at institutions close to home and across the state. Each campus has its own Greek ecosystem and history of hazing incidents.

For Longview Families: Local and Statewide Campuses

• LeTourneau University (Longview, TX): As a local institution with student groups and organizations, it is not immune to peer pressure and abusive dynamics. Families should be vigilant.
• University of Texas at Tyler / Tyler Junior College: These nearby regional campuses host Greek life and student organizations where hazing can occur.
• The Major Hubs: Longview families commonly send students to flagship schools like Texas A&M University, The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston, Baylor University, and Southern Methodist University (SMU). The fraternities and sororities at these schools are often chapters of the same national organizations involved in the worst hazing cases.

A Snapshot of Recent Texas Incidents:

• University of Houston (Pi Kappa Phi – Beta Nu): As detailed, the Leonel Bermudez case represents one of the most severe active hazing lawsuits in Texas. Media coverage from Click2Houston and ABC13 provides a stark, current example.
• Texas A&M University: Has faced lawsuits alleging severe hazing, including a Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) case where pledges suffered chemical burns from being doused with industrial cleaner. The Corps of Cadets has also faced litigation over traditional hazing practices.
• University of Texas at Austin: Maintains a public hazing violations log. Recent entries include Pi Kappa Alpha for forcing new members to consume milk and perform extreme calisthenics, and other groups for alcohol-related hazing.
• Fraternity Nationals Operating Everywhere: The same organizations sued in national tragedies—Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Alpha Order—maintain active chapters across these Texas campuses. Their national histories are directly relevant to the safety of your child.

5. The Fraternity & Sorority Network: How We Track the Entities Behind the Letters

When hazing occurs, the first line of defense from nationals and universities is often: “This was a rogue chapter; we didn’t know.” Our investigative model is built to dismantle this myth. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine compiled from public records, including IRS filings (Form 990/B83), university databases, and corporate registrations. This allows us to map the complete organizational backbone behind a fraternity chapter.

For Example, in the Houston Metro Area (which influences campuses statewide):
Public records show a dense network of Greek organizations. This includes house corporations, alumni chapters, and educational foundations that hold assets and insurance. For instance:

• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (EIN: 746064445, Nederland, TX 77627) – Texas District alumni/house corp.
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. (EIN: 462267515, Frisco, TX 75035) – Defendant in the Bermudez lawsuit.
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority (EIN: 364091267, Waco, TX 76710) – Beta Sigma Chapter in Houston.
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc. (EIN: 741380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147).

We use this data to identify every potential source of liability and insurance coverage. When we take a case, we don’t start from zero—we already know the legal names, EINs, and addresses of the organizations we may need to pursue.

6. Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Winning a hazing case requires immediately preserving evidence, understanding the full scope of damages, and having the litigation experience to face well-funded institutional defendants.

Critical Evidence to Preserve NOW:

1. Digital Evidence: Screenshots of ALL group chats (GroupMe, iMessage, WhatsApp, Discord). Do not delete anything. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages if needed. Learn more in our video, Can You Use Your Cellphone to Document a Legal Case?
2. Medical Records: Go to the ER or a doctor immediately. Tell them exactly what happened: “I was forced to drink by my fraternity” or “I was injured during a hazing workout.” This creates a crucial link in your medical record.
3. Photographs & Videos: Pictures of injuries, locations, and any objects used (paddles, alcohol bottles).
4. Witness Information: Names and contact info for other pledges, roommates, or bystanders.

Our Strategic Advantages for Texas Families:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense lawyer for large national firms. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers undervalue claims, use delay tactics, and fight coverage. We use this insider knowledge to maximize recovery. Learn about Mr. Peña’s background at https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/.
• Complex Institutional Litigation: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar corporations or national fraternities with deep pockets and high-powered defense firms. We have federal court experience and a 25-year track record.
• Full Damages Analysis: We calculate all damages, including:
  • Economic: Medical bills (past and future), lost wages, lost educational opportunities.
  • Non-Economic: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
  • Wrongful Death: In tragic cases, funeral costs, loss of companionship, and grief damages for families.
  • Punitive Damages: To punish especially reckless or malicious conduct.

7. Practical Guide for Longview Parents, Students, and Witnesses

For Parents – Warning Signs:

• Your child is suddenly secretive about group activities.
• They exhibit extreme fatigue, unexplained injuries, or changes in mood/anxiety.
• They are constantly on their phone, stressed about group chat messages.
• They have unexplained expenses (buying alcohol, “fines,” gifts for older members).

For Students – Is This Hazing?
If you are being pressured, threatened with exclusion, forced to do something dangerous or degrading, or told to keep secrets from the university or your family—it is hazing. Your “consent” under pressure is not a legal defense for them. Your safety comes first.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case:

1. Deleting Evidence: Do NOT delete group chats or messages, no matter how embarrassing.
2. Confronting the Fraternity First: This gives them time to destroy evidence and lawyer up.
3. Signing University Paperwork Alone: Universities may offer a quick “resolution” that waives your right to sue. Do not sign anything without an attorney.
4. Waiting Too Long: Texas has a statute of limitations. Evidence fades, witnesses graduate, and memories blur. Watch our video on statutes of limitation.

8. Why Attorney911 for Your Longview Hazing Case

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families throughout Texas, including Longview, Gregg County, and all of East Texas. We are not a general personal injury firm; we are specialists in complex institutional litigation, and hazing is a core part of our practice.

Right now, we are leading the fight in the Leonel Bermudez case against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. This is not theoretical experience—it is active, high-stakes litigation that informs every case we handle.

We combine:

1. Active Texas Hazing Litigation (the Bermudez case).
2. A Data-Driven Investigation Model (the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine).
3. Insider Insurance Knowledge (from Mr. Peña’s defense background).
4. A Proven Record Against Massive Defendants (from the BP Texas City litigation).
5. Spanish-Language Services provided by Mr. Peña for Hispanic families.
6. A “No Fee Unless We Win” Contingency Model—you pay nothing upfront. See how contingency fees work.

We understand the culture, the cover-ups, and the legal defenses used by fraternities and universities. We know how to find the evidence and build the case that forces accountability and provides the resources your family needs to heal.

9. Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If hazing has hurt your child and your family, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved have lawyers protecting them from day one. You deserve the same level of advocacy.

Contact Attorney911 today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. In this confidential consultation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Discuss the investigation process and potential strategies.
• Answer your questions about timelines, costs, and what to expect.

We serve Longview and families across Texas. Distance is not a barrier. We will come to you or meet virtually.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach us directly at (713) 528-9070, or email Ralph Manginello at ralph@atty911.com or Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com.

Visit our website at https://attorney911.com to learn more about our firm, our attorneys, and our commitment to holding powerful institutions accountable.

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. For advice on your specific situation, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC for a consultation.