🛡️ Wayne County, Mississippi Hazing Victims: Your Legal Rights and How to Get Justice

If your child has been hazed at a fraternity, sorority, or student organization in Wayne County, Mississippi—or anywhere in the state—you are not alone. Attorney 911 is fighting this battle right now in Texas, and we’re ready to bring the same aggressive representation to Wayne County families.

🚨 The Hazing Crisis Has Come to Wayne County

Hazing isn’t just happening at big universities in other states. It’s happening right here in Mississippi. Wayne County families send their children to colleges across the state—from the University of Southern Mississippi to Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Jackson State, and beyond—expecting them to be safe. But too often, Greek organizations and student groups betray that trust through dangerous, sometimes deadly, initiation rituals.

What Hazing Looks Like in Mississippi

The same fraternities and sororities that have paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries nationwide operate right here in Mississippi. The same “traditions” that hospitalized our client in Texas—waterboarding, forced exercise to the point of kidney failure, beatings with wooden paddles, sleep deprivation, and psychological torture—are happening to Mississippi students.

If your child has experienced any of the following in Wayne County or anywhere in Mississippi, they may be a victim of hazing:

✅ Physical abuse – Paddling, beating, branding, or extreme physical punishment
✅ Forced consumption – Being made to drink alcohol, eat until vomiting, or consume dangerous substances
✅ Sleep deprivation – Being kept awake for days through forced activities
✅ Psychological torture – Humiliation, degradation, threats, or isolation
✅ Waterboarding or simulated drowning – A form of torture that has no place in any organization
✅ Extreme exercise – Forced workouts that lead to hospitalization (rhabdomyolysis, heat stroke, cardiac issues)
✅ Sexual humiliation or assault – Being forced to carry sexual objects, strip naked, or endure sexual acts
✅ Servitude – Being made to act as a personal servant to members

Mississippi Hazing Laws: Your Rights Under State Law

Mississippi has strong laws against hazing, and consent is not a defense. Under Mississippi Code § 97-3-105, hazing is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $500 fine. If the hazing results in serious injury or death, it can be charged as a felony.

Key legal points for Wayne County families:

• Hazing is illegal – No organization can legally require dangerous or degrading acts as part of initiation.
• Consent doesn’t matter – Even if your child “agreed” to participate, Mississippi law says this is not a defense.
• Universities are liable – If the school knew or should have known about hazing and failed to stop it, they can be held responsible.
• National organizations are liable – Fraternities and sororities with chapters in Mississippi have paid millions in settlements for hazing. They can’t hide behind their corporate structure.
• Individuals can be sued – Every person who participated in or allowed the hazing can be held personally liable.

⚠️ The Landmark Case That Proves Wayne County Families Can Win

Attorney 911 is currently litigating a $10 MILLION hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.

What happened:

• Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student, accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi at UH in September 2025.
• Over the next 7 weeks, he was subjected to waterboarding, forced to do 500 squats until he collapsed, struck with wooden paddles, and forced to eat until he vomited.
• On November 3, 2025, he was punished with extreme exercise until he couldn’t stand without help.
• He crawled up the stairs when he got home.
• The next day, he couldn’t move.
• His mother rushed him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure.
• He spent 4 days in the hospital fighting for his life.

Why this matters for Wayne County families:

• Pi Kappa Phi has chapters in Mississippi – The same organization that did this in Texas operates at universities across our state.
• Universities in Mississippi face the same liability – UH owned the fraternity house where the hazing occurred. Mississippi universities have the same power—and the same duty—to stop hazing.
• $10 MILLION is possible – This isn’t a theoretical number. It’s what we’re demanding right now in court.
• We know how to win – We’re already fighting this battle, and we’re ready to bring the same expertise to Wayne County.

💰 Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Millions

Wayne County families need to know: Hazing cases result in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts. These aren’t isolated incidents—they’re part of a national pattern of abuse that fraternities and universities have failed to stop.

These cases prove three things:

1. Juries award millions for hazing victims.
2. Universities and national organizations pay when they fail to protect students.
3. Wayne County families can win – The same legal strategies apply in Mississippi.

⚖️ Who Is Liable for Hazing in Wayne County?

If your child has been hazed in Wayne County or anywhere in Mississippi, we will pursue every responsible party. Hazing cases involve multiple layers of liability, and we know how to hold each one accountable.

1. The Local Chapter

• Direct responsibility – The chapter organized and conducted the hazing.
• Individual members – Every person who participated can be sued personally.
• Chapter officers – The president, pledgemaster, and other leaders face heightened liability.

2. The National Fraternity or Sorority

• Failure to supervise – National organizations have a duty to oversee their chapters.
• Pattern of negligence – Many nationals have paid millions in settlements for hazing. They know the risks and fail to act.
• Deep pockets – National organizations have substantial assets and insurance policies.

3. The University

• Premises liability – If hazing occurred in a university-owned fraternity house (like at UH), the school is directly liable.
• Negligent supervision – Universities have a duty to monitor Greek life and protect students.
• Institutional knowledge – If the university knew or should have known about hazing, they can be held responsible.
• Failure to act – Many universities have prior hazing incidents but fail to implement real safeguards.

4. Individual Perpetrators

• Personal liability – Every person who participated in or allowed the hazing can be sued individually.
• Criminal exposure – Hazing can result in misdemeanor or felony charges under Mississippi law.
• Professional consequences – Hazing can follow perpetrators into their careers, affecting employment and licensing.

5. Insurance Companies

• Liability policies – National organizations, universities, and even individual members often have insurance that covers hazing claims.
• Multiple layers of coverage – Some policies have limits of $1 million or more.
• We know how to pursue them – As former insurance defense attorneys, Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena understand exactly how to maximize insurance recoveries.

📋 What Wayne County Families Should Do Right Now

If your child has been hazed in Wayne County or anywhere in Mississippi, time is critical. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and statutes of limitations expire. Here’s what you need to do immediately:

1. Seek Medical Attention

• Go to the emergency room or urgent care – Even if injuries seem minor, get them documented.
• Follow up with a doctor – Some injuries (like rhabdomyolysis) may not appear immediately.
• Save all medical records – These will be critical evidence in your case.

2. Preserve All Evidence

• Take photos and videos – Document injuries, locations, and any physical evidence of hazing.
• Save all communications – Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs, emails. Do not delete anything.
• Get witness information – Names and contact info of other pledges, members, or bystanders who saw what happened.
• Document everything – Keep a journal of what happened, how it affected your child, and any medical treatment.

3. Do NOT Talk to the Organization Without a Lawyer

• Fraternities, sororities, and universities will try to control the narrative – They may ask for statements, offer settlements, or pressure your child to stay quiet.
• Do not sign anything – They may try to get your child to sign a waiver or release.
• Do not post on social media – Anything you post can be used against you.
• Refer all communication to your attorney – Once you hire us, we handle everything.

4. Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

• Call our legal emergency hotline: 1-888-ATTY-911
• Email: ralph@atty911.com
• Free consultation – We’ll evaluate your case and explain your legal options.
• No upfront cost – We work on contingency. You pay nothing unless we win.

Why act now?

• Mississippi has a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
• Evidence disappears fast – Texts get deleted, witnesses forget, security footage gets erased.
• The sooner we get involved, the stronger your case will be.

🎯 Why Wayne County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. 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 know how to build these cases, and we know how to win.
• Wayne County families get the same aggressive representation we’re bringing to Texas.

2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

• Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena used to work for insurance companies.
• We know exactly how they think, how they value claims, and how they try to deny liability.
• We use that knowledge to maximize your recovery.

3. Federal Court Authority

• We’re admitted to U.S. District Court, which means we can pursue hazing cases nationwide—including in Mississippi.
• Many hazing cases involve federal civil rights claims, which we’re equipped to handle.

4. Dual-State Bar Admission

• We’re licensed in Texas and New York, giving us strategic advantages in cases against national organizations.
• We can pursue defendants wherever they’re headquartered.

5. We Travel to Wayne County

• We don’t just serve Wayne County from Houston—we come to you.
• We’ll travel to Wayne County for depositions, client meetings, and trials.
• Distance is not a barrier to justice.

6. Bilingual Representation

• Se habla español – We serve Spanish-speaking families without language barriers.
• No need to worry about miscommunication or cultural misunderstandings.

7. Compassionate, Aggressive Representation

• We treat Wayne County families like family.
• We understand the trauma of hazing and the fear of retaliation.
• We’re not just fighting for compensation—we’re fighting for accountability and change.

📞 Wayne County Families: Call Us Now

If your child has been hazed in Wayne County or anywhere in Mississippi, call Attorney 911 immediately.

Legal Emergency Hotline: 1-888-ATTY-911

Email: ralph@atty911.com

Website: attorney911.com

We offer:
✅ Free consultations – No obligation, no pressure.
✅ No upfront cost – You pay nothing unless we win.
✅ 24/7 availability – We’re here when you need us.
✅ Video consultations – For Wayne County families who can’t travel.
✅ Travel to Wayne County – We come to you for meetings and depositions.

The fraternities, sororities, and universities have teams of lawyers fighting to minimize your claim. You need a team that will fight back.

🔥 A Message to Mississippi Fraternities and Universities

To the fraternities and sororities operating in Mississippi:
We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapters. If you haze students in Mississippi, we will pursue every liable entity—your chapter, your national organization, your university, and every individual member.

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Kappa Sigma, and all the rest:
If your chapter operates in Mississippi, know that Attorney 911 represents hazing victims across America. We have proven these cases can be won. Clean up your chapters before we clean them out in court.

To Mississippi universities:
The same institutional negligence that made the University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now or face the same accountability. If you own fraternity houses, if you receive complaints about hazing, if you fail to implement real oversight—you will be sued.

🏆 We Don’t Just Talk About Hazing. We’re Fighting It Right Now.

Wayne County families: This isn’t theoretical. This isn’t a warning. This is happening now.

• We’re litigating a $10 MILLION hazing case in Texas.
• We’ve shut down fraternity chapters.
• We’ve forced national organizations to pay millions.
• We’ve changed laws.

If your child has been hazed in Wayne County or anywhere in Mississippi, we will fight for you with the same fury. Call us now.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com | attorney911.com

Wayne County hazing victims deserve justice. We won’t stop until they get it.