HOW TO BUILD YOUR HAZING CASE WITH THE MANGINELLO LAW FIRM
A Complete Guide to Hazing Laws, Liabilities, and Victim Recovery in Texas
For Families in Odessa, Midland, Andrews, Monahans, and Throughout Ector County & West Texas
1. A Nightmare That’s Far Too Real for Odessa Families
We know the feeling. Your child left for college full of promise, excited to build a future and find their community. Maybe they’re at The University of Texas Permian Basin right here in Odessa, or perhaps they traveled to Texas A&M, UT Austin, Texas Tech, or another school. Then, the phone call comes—or worse, the silence. The vibrant, ambitious student you sent off is now withdrawn, injured, or hospitalized. They speak in vague terms about “pledging,” “traditions,” or “team building,” but their bruises, exhaustion, and fear tell the real story. You’re a parent in Odessa staring down a powerful institution, unsure where to turn.
This isn’t a hypothetical. Right now, in Harris County, we are actively fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and 13 individual members of its now-shuttered Beta Nu chapter. This case alleges a systematic campaign of abuse that left our client with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, hospitalized for four days, and at risk of permanent harm.
The alleged hazing included a degrading “pledge fanny pack,” forced overconsumption of food until vomiting, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and extreme physical workouts at locations including Yellowstone Boulevard Park. This is what modern hazing looks like. It’s happening in Texas, and families in Odessa, Midland, and across the Permian Basin have the right to know the truth and seek accountability.
IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:
- If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:
- Call 911 for medical emergencies.
- Then call Attorney911: 1-888-288-9911 or 1-888-ATTY-911. We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.
- In the first 48 hours:
- Get medical attention immediately.
- Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted: screenshot group chats, photograph injuries, save physical items.
- Write down everything (who, what, when, where).
- Do NOT:
- Confront the fraternity/sorority/team directly.
- Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
- Post details on public social media.
- Contact an experienced hazing attorney. Evidence disappears fast. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, immediate consultation.
This guide is for you—the parents, families, and students in Odessa and across Texas who need a clear, comprehensive understanding of hazing, the law, and the path to accountability. We’ll show you what hazing really looks like today, explain your legal rights under Texas law, and detail how our firm uses a unique, data-driven approach to build winning cases against universities and national organizations.
2. The Texas Hazing Reality: It’s More Than “Just Partyin’ Around”
Hazing has evolved. It’s not just about paddles and locker room pranks; it’s a sophisticated system of coercion, humiliation, and abuse designed to create loyalty through trauma, often disguised as “bonding” or “tradition.” For Odessa families, understanding this evolution is critical to recognizing the signs.
Modern Hazing’s Three Tiers:
- Subtle Hazing: Power imbalance activities often dismissed as harmless. This includes forced servitude (being on-call 24/7 as a driver), social isolation, being assigned derogatory nicknames, and mandatory events that interfere with academics or sleep. Digitally, it manifests as required 24/7 monitoring of GroupMe chats and forced location-sharing.
- Harassment Hazing: Behaviors that cause emotional or physical discomfort. This encompasses verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, food/water restrictions, forced strenuous exercise (“smokings”), and public humiliation. In 2025, this often involves digital shaming on TikTok or Instagram, or being forced to consume unpalatable substances.
- Violent Hazing: High-potential for injury or death. This is the forced consumption of alcohol/drugs (like the “Big/Little” nights that killed Stone Foltz and Max Gruver), physical beatings/paddling, dangerous “tests” (like the blindfolded tackling that killed Michael Deng), sexualized acts, and kidnapping. Today, it frequently moves to off-campus Airbnbs or rural retreats to avoid detection.
Where Hazing Happens in Texas:
- Fraternities & Sororities: IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC (Divine Nine), and multicultural councils.
- Corps of Cadets & ROTC Programs: Military-style traditions can cross the line into abuse.
- Athletic Teams: From football and basketball to swimming and cheerleading.
- Spirit & Tradition Organizations: Groups like Texas Cowboys or Aggie Bonfire (historically).
- Marching Bands and Performance Groups.
The common thread is a dynamic of power, where seeking belonging is exploited, and “consent” is rendered meaningless by peer pressure and the threat of exclusion.
3. Texas Law & Liability: Your Legal Roadmap
Texas has strong hazing laws, but navigating them requires expertise. Here’s what Odessa families need to know.
Texas Education Code, Chapter 37 (The Hazing Statute):
The law defines hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. Critically, Section 37.155 states that the victim’s “consent” is not a defense.
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Criminal Penalties:
- Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
- Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury.
- State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
- It’s also a crime to fail to report hazing or to retaliate against someone who does.
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Civil Liability (The Lawsuit):
This is separate from criminal charges. A civil lawsuit seeks financial compensation (damages) and accountability. Potential defendants include:- The Individuals who planned, performed, or covered up the hazing.
- The Local Chapter as an organized entity.
- The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters which sets policy, collects dues, and often knows about patterns of abuse.
- The University for negligent supervision or deliberate indifference, especially if they had prior knowledge.
- Third Parties like property owners or alcohol providers.
The Federal Overlay:
- Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires universities to report hazing data publicly and strengthen prevention (phased in).
- Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, federal gender discrimination law applies.
- Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults.
4. The National Case That Proves What’s Possible: Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi
We are not just talking about theory. Our firm is leading the charge in a live, high-stakes Texas hazing lawsuit. The Leonel Bermudez case is your proof of our commitment and capability.
The Facts:
Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student, accepted a bid to Pi Kappa Phi’s Beta Nu chapter at the University of Houston in Fall 2025. What followed was a regime of abuse:
- Humiliation: A mandatory “pledge fanny pack” containing condoms, a sex toy, and nicotine devices.
- Servitude: Enforced dress codes, hours-long “study blocks,” and overnight chauffeuring duties.
- Physical Torture: Sprints, bear crawls, lying in vomit-soaked grass, cold-weather exposure in underwear, and being sprayed in the face with a hose.
- The Breaking Point: On November 3, 2025, he was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. Days later, he was hospitalized for four days with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, his urine brown from muscle tissue breakdown.
The Response & The Lawsuit:
We filed a $10 million lawsuit in Harris County. The defendants include UH, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, its housing corporation, and 13 individual chapter leaders. Following the lawsuit and media scrutiny from outlets like Click2Houston and ABC13, the chapter was suspended and its members voted to surrender their charter. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”
This case is the blueprint. It shows our firm’s ability to:
- Take on a major state university and a national fraternity.
- Meticulously investigate and detail complex abuse.
- Use media strategy to apply public pressure.
- Fight for a victim who suffered catastrophic, life-altering injuries.
5. Where Odessa Families Send Their Kids: The Texas Campus Landscape
Odessa is an educational hub and a sending community for major Texas universities. Understanding the Greek ecosystems and histories at these schools is vital.
The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) – Odessa, TX
Your local campus, UTPB in Ector County, is part of the statewide UT System. While its Greek community is smaller than flagship campuses, hazing can occur in any organization where power imbalances exist. Families should be vigilant with all student clubs, athletic teams, and any group with an initiation process.
Major Statewide Universities for Odessa Students:
Odessa graduates commonly attend these major hubs with significant Greek life:
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Texas A&M University (College Station): Home to a massive Greek system and the storied Corps of Cadets. The Corps has faced hazing allegations, including a 2023 lawsuit alleging a cadet was bound in a “roasted pig” position. Fraternities like Sigma Alpha Epsilon have faced lawsuits here over allegations causing severe chemical burns.
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University of Texas at Austin: Maintains one of the most transparent hazing violation logs in the country. Public records show sanctions against groups like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced milk consumption and calisthenics. This public data is a powerful tool for proving a pattern of knowledge in litigation.
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Texas Tech University (Lubbock): A major destination for West Texas students. Its significant Greek life has seen incidents, including a high-profile 2023 case where Kappa Sigma faced allegations leading to rhabdomyolysis injuries.
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University of Houston: As detailed in our flagship case, hazing here can be severe and systemic. Other chapters have faced suspensions for conduct “likely to produce mental or physical discomfort.”
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Baylor University (Waco) & Southern Methodist University (Dallas): Both private schools with active Greek life and their own histories of hazing investigations within fraternities and athletic teams.
6. The Data Advantage: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine
Other law firms may guess; we know. We maintain a proprietary, data-driven directory of Greek organizations across Texas. This isn’t a public website—it’s an investigative tool we use to immediately identify every potentially liable entity behind a fraternity or sorority chapter.
For Odessa families, this means when you come to us, we don’t start from zero. We can quickly map the ecosystem surrounding your child’s organization. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine is built from:
- IRS B83 Public Filings: Federal records of over 125 tax-exempt Greek organizations (house corporations, alumni chapters, honor societies) registered in Texas, complete with EINs and addresses.
- Texas University Database: Detailed profiles of 96 campuses.
- Metro-Level Analysis: Tracking of 1,423 Greek-related entities across 25 Texas metro areas.
- Brand Overlap Cross-Validation: Matching national brands across different data sets to confirm their Texas footprint.
A Snapshot of Texas Greek Entities (From Public Records):
To illustrate the scale and depth of our data, here are examples of registered organizations in Texas. This is the kind of information we use to build your case:
- Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN 46-2267515 – Frisco, TX 75035
- Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc – EIN 13-3048786 – College Station, TX 77845
- Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc (Theta Delta Chapter) – EIN 47-5370943 – Houston, TX 77204
- Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (Texas A&M Chapter) – EIN 90-0293166 – College Station, TX 77843
- Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority (Mu Zeta Chapter) – EIN 75-2609909 – Commerce, TX 75428
- Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc (Nu Iota Chapter) – EIN 52-1346485 – Waco, TX 76703
- Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (Epsilon Kappa Chapter) – EIN 74-6064445 – Nederland, TX 77627
- Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc – EIN 74-1380362 – Fort Worth, TX 76147
This data allows us to identify housing corporations that hold insurance, alumni groups that may control property, and national networks—ensuring no liable party escapes scrutiny.
7. Building an Unbeatable Hazing Case: Our Process
When you hire us, you get a strategic, multi-front approach designed to maximize accountability and recovery.
Phase 1: Immediate Evidence Preservation & Investigation
Time is critical. We act fast to secure evidence before it’s destroyed:
- Digital Forensics: Issuing preservation letters and subpoenas for group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), social media accounts, and chapter communications. We know how to recover deleted data.
- Scene Investigation: Documenting locations where hazing occurred (chapter houses, off-campus rentals).
- Witness Outreach: Confidentially interviewing other pledges, former members, and bystanders who are often afraid to come forward initially.
- Records Collection: Obtaining medical records, university conduct files, and prior incident reports through requests and discovery.
Phase 2: Identifying All Liable Parties
Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we build the “defendant universe”:
- Individual members and officers.
- The local chapter.
- The national fraternity/sorority headquarters.
- The university and its governing board.
- Housing corporations and alumni associations (who often hold insurance assets).
Phase 3: Proving Damages & Calculating Loss
Hazing causes profound harm. We work with top experts to document and value every aspect:
- Economic Damages: All medical bills (ER, hospital, surgery, future care), lost wages, and diminished future earning capacity.
- Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress (PTSD, anxiety, depression), humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound grief and loss of companionship suffered by families.
Phase 4: Navigating Insurance & Settlement Negotiations
This is where Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney is invaluable. He knows the tactics insurers use to deny or minimize claims. We negotiate from a position of strength, prepared to go to trial if a fair settlement isn’t offered. We have the federal court experience and trial record to make defendants take us seriously.
8. What to Do Now: Action Steps for Odessa Families & Students
FOR PARENTS:
- Listen & Document: If your child opens up, listen without judgment. Write down dates, names, and details. Screenshot any messages they show you.
- Prioritize Health: Get medical and psychological care immediately. Tell doctors the injuries are hazing-related.
- Secure Evidence: Help your child preserve ALL digital communications. Do not let them delete anything out of shame or fear.
- Consult a Lawyer BEFORE Reporting: Once you report to a university, their legal team swings into action to protect the institution. Talk to us first to develop a strategy. We can help you navigate reporting in a way that protects your rights.
- Watch Our Video on Client Mistakes: Learn what not to do by watching our guide on common mistakes that can ruin an injury case.
FOR STUDENTS:
- Your Safety First: If you are in danger, call 911.
- You Can Leave: You have the legal right to quit (de-pledge) at any time. Your safety and life are more important than any organization.
- Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots of all group chats, photos of injuries, and save any physical items. Use your phone to document everything. Our video on using your phone to document a legal case is a crucial resource.
- Know the Law: In Texas, your “consent” is not a defense for those who hazed you. Reporting is protected, especially when calling for medical help.
CRITICAL FAQ FOR ODESSA FAMILIES:
- “How long do we have to sue?” In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury is generally two years from the date of injury. However, complex rules about discovery and tolling apply. Do not wait. Evidence vanishes quickly. Learn more in our video on Texas statutes of limitations.
- “What if it happened off-campus?” Location does not matter. Universities and national organizations can still be liable for conduct they knew about or should have prevented.
- “How much does a lawyer cost?” We work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay no upfront fees. We only get paid if we win your case, taking a percentage of the recovery. This makes justice accessible to everyone. See how it works in our video on contingency fees.
- “Hablamos Español?” Yes. El abogado Lupe Peña habla español con fluidez. Puede contactarlo directamente a lupe@atty911.com.
9. Why Choose The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911?
When your family is facing a hazing crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the playbook of powerful institutions and know how to win.
Our Proven Advantage for Texas Hazing Cases:
- We Are Fighting the Biggest Texas Hazing Case Right Now. The Leonel Bermudez lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi isn’t history—it’s our current caseload. We are in the trenches today.
- Unmatched Data-Driven Investigation. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine gives us a map of liability that other firms lack. We know how to find the insurance policies and assets.
- Insider Insurance Knowledge. Attorney Lupe Peña (he/him) spent years defending insurance companies. He knows their valuation tricks, delay tactics, and how to fight coverage exclusions. This insider knowledge is a game-changer for maximizing your recovery.
- Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants. Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by universities or national fraternities with deep pockets and elite defense lawyers.
- Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise. Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal side of hazing, which often runs parallel to civil cases. We can adeptly advise clients navigating both systems.
- A Full-Service Texas Personal Injury Firm. Hazing cases require understanding catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and complex litigation. These are our core practice areas. Learn about our broader wrongful death practice and criminal defense capability.
Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation
If hazing has injured your child or devastated your family, you don’t have to face this alone. The institutions responsible are counting on your fear, confusion, and exhaustion. Don’t let them win.
Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today. We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, and we are here for you in Odessa, Midland, and all of West Texas.
Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443‑4781
Email: ralph@atty911.com | lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)
Website: https://attorney911.com
In your free consultation, we will:
- Listen compassionately to your story.
- Review any evidence you have.
- Explain your legal rights and options in clear terms.
- Outline our investigative strategy.
- Answer all your questions about the process and costs.
We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. Let us help you turn this crisis into accountability.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC. Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors. If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.
The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
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 | lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)
