Hell Week: Chi Tau at Chico
 

Surviving pledge tells of ordeal
7 will be tried in fatal Chico hazing

Cecilia Vega, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, June 4, 2005

Oroville, Butte County -- "Hell Week" was just that for Michael Quintana.

The Chico State University student who survived the bizarre hazing ritual that killed his friend testified Friday that during the final days of rushing Chi Tau, their would-be fraternity brothers controlled what they ate (such as raw onions and garlic), whom they spoke to (no women), what clothes they wore (matching pledge uniforms) and even what they looked at (only other fraternity members' shoes).

Quintana, 20, testified for seven hours during a preliminary hearing, detailing publicly for the first time the alleged humiliation he and 21-year-old Matthew Carrington of Pleasant Hill endured in their effort to become members of the rogue fraternity.

In the end, Butte County Superior Court Judge Stephen Vincent ruled there was sufficient evidence to make four fraternity members stand trial for felony involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor hazing and three other members for misdemeanor hazing. All have pleaded not guilty.

"They ordered us to work out, what clothes to wear, where to look, where not to look. ... (They) made us roll around in beer on the floor, and do many, many, many push-ups," Quintana testified. "Pretty much activities that you were never meant to accomplish, but to fail."

Quintana and Carrington were the only two pledges rushing the fraternity, which had been expelled from Chico State in 2002 for repeated incidents of violence and alcohol violations. Fraternity members allegedly forced the two young men to stand on one foot atop a bench in the dank basement while drinking and dousing themselves with almost 30 gallons of water during the night of Feb. 1 as fans blasted them with cold air.

"If we spilled the water, they yelled at us, or if we weren't drinking long enough, they yelled at us," Quintana said. "Pretty much they were always looking for something to yell at us about."

The initiation was known as "Hell Week," which others in Chi Tau boasted they had survived and promised Carrington and Quintana they would too. Carrington, however, suffered from hypothermia and collapsed, later dying of water intoxication that forced his brain stem to swell.

Quintana said he wanted to throw in the towel several times during the evening and tried to get Carrington to leave with him but stuck it out when Carrington refused.

"The reason I was still going through it is because I didn't want Matt to be the only one there," he testified. "I knew he wouldn't quit. He wasn't a quitter."

On trial for manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, are Jerry Ming Lim, 25; Gabriel John Maestretti, 22; Carlos Abrille, 22; and John Paul Fickes, 19.

Charged with misdemeanor hazing, which carries a maximum of one year in county jail and a $5,000 fine, are Richard Joseph Hirth, 22; Michael Fernandez, 19; and Trent Stiefvater, 20.

It was not clear Friday how many of the men are students at Chico State University.

Chi Tau had operated as Delta Sigma Phi until 2002, when the house was expelled from Chico State and the Interfraternity Council for serving alcohol to minors. Alcohol was not a factor in Carrington's death.

On Friday, the defendants were dressed in suits and flanked by their lawyers and parents.

"There is no other evidence that any of these people knew that this was a dangerous situation," said Clyde Blackmon, Lim's attorney. The defendants did not know that "drinking water, even copious amounts of water, could lead to the death of a human being."

Carrington's parents -- who have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the fraternity and 10 members, as well as the fraternity's national chapter, Delta Sigma Phi -- audibly sobbed in the courtroom as Quintana detailed the last hours of their son's life.

"My son was just out of it," Carrington's father, Michael, said. "Matt suffered from hypothermia. Hypothermia completely disorients you."

Carrington's hazing began in October, his mother has said, with innocuous stunts such as sending pledges to the beach to trade their shirts with homeless people. Fraternity brothers also videotaped pledges dressed up like prostitutes walking down a street in Southern California, she said.

Quintana said that when Lim, whom authorities identified as the mastermind behind "Hell Week," was kind enough to let him and Carrington sleep in his room one night during the week's initiation -- instead of in concrete holes in the freezing basement of the fraternity house -- he was harassed for being too nice.

At one point the two pledges were forced to do push-ups in raw sewage when the pipes in the fraternity house backed up, Quintana said. Chi Tau members doused them with water as they were forced to lie on their backs, feet in the air, and sing a song called "I'm a Little Cockroach," he recalled.

The two also were forced to eat what fraternity members called a "pledge apple" (a raw onion) and "pledge candy" (raw garlic cloves), Quintana testified.

On the night they were allegedly forced to drink water from five-gallon jugs, the two pledges asked permission to urinate on themselves; when that happened, Quintana said, "we would have to say, 'Sir is peeing.'

"During that week, they pretty much ran every part of your life," Quintana said.

The only thing i don't get is how the parents are suing Delta Sigma Phi. From what I understand from the article, Delta Sigma Phi was expelled in 2002, and this was an unrecognized group of men, acting like a fraterninty, called Chi Tau. If the nationals as well as the school pulled recognition, how can the nationals be held responsible? Has this ever happend before- when a group left but was still sued?

That's what I thought too when I first read it. The only other similar incident I can think of is from last year or two summers ago (I'm not sure exactly when) when a girl drowned pledging an underground chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. I think her family tried to sue AKA but couldn't because the chapter that the girl was pledging wasn't a recognized chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. (I think that's what happened, not 100% positive, so correct me if I'm wrong.)

How terribly sad....for all those involved

You can sue anybody you want, you just don't always win. If Delta Sigma Phi is held accountable, then a very dangerous precedent will be set and we, collectively, will be in a no-win situation. We can't do anything more than close a chapter that doesn't follow the rules. Hopefully a judge and jury will see that.

if i remember correctly, i believe one of the articles i read about this said that the house they lived in was owned by a Delta Sig alum or may have even been the old Delta Sig house, still owned by the alum association. i just can't remember which.

Re: Hell Week: Chi Tau at Chico
 

You know, we ask ourselves "What is the purpose of these hazing activities?" and there's always someone who likes hazing and defends it by saying (for example): "It builds unity, it builds a bond..."

What do humans learn from being put into situations that they "were never meant to accomplish"? If you were in a situation that you knew was designed specifically for you to feel or be told that you failed in some way, what lesson would you take from that?

PsychTau

Re: Re: Hell Week: Chi Tau at Chico
 

it depends on what the outcome is when you fail. If you fail and are still accepted by the group, it is a beautiful lesson in acceptance and support. Much like the Odd Couple episode where Felix and Oscar failed their penance but were still allowed to stay at the monastery.

I saw something the other day - forgotten where - but it's true from my days as a pledge and from my observations as an alum:

"The members most involved as hazers and demanding respect and servitude are usually the brothers least likely to be respected and admired by the pledges when they become members."

That is probably the truest statement I've ever read in regards to hazers and the best explanation as to why some people continue to haze. I'm going to pass it on to my chapter.

I'm a firm believer that hazing in any form serves no purpose and for the life of me cannot understand why some people perpetuate it. How does hazing make someone a stronger member? How does being demeaning, hurtful, dangerous, intimidating, fill in the blank make the bond to the organization stronger? But let's be honest here, I rarely hear hazing actives defend themselves by saying it makes for a stronger brother/sisterhood. More times than not, it's a case of turn about is fair play. They did it to me, now it's my turn to do it to someone else.

All one has to do is to check the New Florida Hazing Law that looks like it will be signed by Gov. Jeb Bush!:(

So, My Question is, Who caused all of this?

One Guess!:mad:

Delta Sigma Phi National does not own the house. Either a group of alumni from the dormant (Delta Alpha) chapter or the DA alumni corporation board owns the house. Not sure if the ACB is incorporated.

Chi Tau tried to get their charter back but was not succesful. Good thing, too.

AGDee is right; if Delta Sig is held liable, then any national that closes a chapter can still get in trouble if the closed chapter reverts to a local or operates underground. A scary thought.

And, I don't believe there is a previous precedent for landlords (the fraternity house corp) being held liable for the actions of their tenants. I suppose they would have some responsibility to report criminal activity if they know it's happening on their property. At Eastern Michigan, a large number of fraternity and sorority houses are rented from the same company, but that doesn't mean that the company would be held liable if one of those groups haze. I can't imagine them continuing to rent to GLOs if that was the case.

Not being familiar with the campus or the organizations involved, it would be tough to ferret out which alumni who are supporting the group are actually Delta Sigma Phis and which are Chi Tau alumni, I would imagine. However, I can definitely say that there are times that the alumni are more of a problem than the collegians, because they want to continue past, dangerous "traditions" and are of the mentality that they went through it so others should also.

This case is showing that rogue chapters can really threaten our existence, even though we have no control over them. What happened to that young man is horrific. The consequences for all GLOs could be frightening. It's very frustrating, when we're working so hard to try to eliminate this type of thing.

Dee

"Every time I breathed into him, the more blood would come out" -- this and further details of testimony related to the hazing death are in an article in the Chico local newspaper.

http://www.chicoer.com/Stories/0,141...909829,00.html

Pretty grim and damning testimony.

The possible punishment that these guys face is not enough.

This local newspaper deserves some recognition - they've printed 28 articles, and the ones I've seen are pretty objective.

Was Chi Tau the name of the DSP chapter before their suspension?

SO sad....people need to start acting responsibly we wonder why the reuptation of GLO are going down hill....

If anyone is interested the Michigan anti-hazing law -Here it is. Sorry about the length but it is interesting reading.

bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled



"The Michigan penal code,"



(MCL 750.1 to 750.568) by adding section 411t.



THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:



Sec. 411t. (1) Except as provided in subsection (4), a
person who attends an educational institution shall not engage in

or participate in the hazing of another person.
(2) A person who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a crime
punishable as follows:

(a) If the violation results in physical injury, the person
is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not
more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(b) If the violation results in serious injury, the person is
guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than $2,500.00, or both.
(c) If the violation results in death, the person is guilty
of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both.
(3) A criminal penalty provided for under this section may be imposed in addition to any penalty that may be imposed for any other criminal offense arising from the same conduct.
(4)This section does not apply to a person who is the subject of the hazing, regardless of whether the person voluntarily allowed himself or herself to be hazed.
(5)This section does not apply to an activity that is normal and customary in an athletic, physical education, military training, or similar program sanctioned by the educational institution.

(6) It is not a defense to a prosecution for a crime under this section that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to or acquiesced in the hazing.
(7) As used in this section:

(a) "Educational institution" means a public or private is a middle school, junior high school, high school, vocational school, college, or university located in this state

(b) "Hazing" means an intentional, knowing, or reckless act by a person acting alone or acting with others that is directed against another person and endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the other person, and that is done for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization. Subject to subsection (5), hazing includes any of

1 the following that is done for such a purpose:


2 (i) Physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking,

3 branding, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or similar activity.

(ii) Physical activity, such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, or calisthenics, that subjects the other person to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the other person.

(iii) Activity involving consumption of a food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance that subjects the other person to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the other person.

(iv) Activity that intimidates or threatens another person with ostracism, that subjects the other person to extreme mental stress, shame, or humiliation, that adversely affects the other person from enrolling in or remaining enrolled in a school or program, or that may reasonably be expected to cause another person to leave the organization or the educational institution rather than to submit to the activity.

(v) Activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves the commission of a crime or an act of hazing.

(c) "Organization" means a fraternity, sorority, association, corporation, order, society, corps, cooperative, club, service group, social group, athletic team, or similar group whose

1 members are primarily students at an educational institution.

2 (d) "Pledge" means a person who has been accepted by, is considering an offer of membership from, or is in the process of qualifying for membership in any organization.

(e) "Pledging" means any action or activity related to becoming a member of an organization.

(f) "Serious injury" means serious impairment of a body function as that term is defined in section 479a.


There is a precedent for a chapter with a revoked charter that does not hold the National Headquarters liable; however, the university, the local chapter and individual members were liable. Believe it or not in this case that I am making a reference the university actually tried to argue that the student was at fault for his own hazing since by joining a GLO he knew he was at risk of possible hazing.

AlphaPhiBubbles


Granted, it is not just one group of Greeks, It is a situation that has gotten totally out of hand that needs so be taken care of asap!

I just hope they dont want to clean House of All Greeks as some Schools have done!

As I said, I started a Local. there is nothing wrong with Locals. I was just thinking about the Risk Management and Issurance cost.

As far as DSPhi Alum/House Corp. owning and renting the House, "theortically" is not responsible as Leasors for what that renter does.

Now, what does the fact have to to do with Chi Tau?

Well, only if they as a Group are recognized by DSPhi as an Underground Chapter.

Proving that could be a real can of worms!

Could religion curtail college party life?


By LARRY MITCHELL - Staff Writer


Some local religious leaders wondered this week if they could help change the hard-partying behavior of Chico's college students.

Their thinking was inspired by hearing a Chico State University official describe just how common binge drinking has become locally.

"We are awash in alcohol," Rick Rees, associate director of student activities at Chico State, told members of the Chico Area Interfaith Council Wednesday.

Members of the council, who represent local religious groups, wondered if they might help by involving students in the activities of their congregations.

Rees suggested perhaps they could.

But the challenge is daunting, he said. "When it comes to binge drinking, "we are ranked right up in the top tier" of colleges.

He was invited to speak because members of the council were concerned about some high-profile events during the last school year.

Rees ran through those events.

In the fall, a student died in a crash that happened when he and others were coming back from a party at the Sacramento River.

In the spring, a student at a fraternity pledge event drank so much he came as close to dying as is possible.

Also, in the spring semester, a fraternity pledge, Matthew Carrington, died as a result of hazing activities.

And after that, members of a fraternity participated in making a pornographic film that a company then sold over the Internet.

This has been one of the most disturbing times in the university's history, Rees said.

There are some encouraging signs, however, he noted. The university is going to be much stricter with fraternities and sororities. Students themselves are realizing the irresponsible behavior must stop because of the human cost and the fact all the bad publicity "devalues their degrees," he said.

Also, the university and the city are cooperating much more than in the past to address the problems.

But no one should expect instant change, he said. "We suspect things might get worse before they get better."

Rees, who has worked at Chico State for many years, said the current group of college students stands out both by being very bright and having a surprisingly "cavalier attitude toward authority."

Given the environment in Chico and the campus' reputation for heavy partying, the disturbing behavior that's been seen lately isn't so surprising, he said.

Within a mile of campus, there are 56 establishments that sell alcohol, he said. At certain times, like Friday evenings, drinks are amazingly cheap. In addition, few classes are scheduled in the afternoons on Thursdays and Fridays, which sends a message to students.

"The culture is you come to Chico and then you look for a party. That's what we're teaching them to do," he said. "We need to quit that."

In fact, a significant percentage of freshmen arrive at Chico State already in the habit of binge drinking, he said.

Members of the council asked Rees if he thought they could help by inviting students to participate in their congregations' activities.

"I don't think there's any question students need as many alternatives to going drinking as we can provide," he said.

The Rev. Mike Newman, pastor at the Newman Catholic Center which caters to students, noted the Interfaith Council used to distribute a brochure during campus registration, that listed local congregations and their meeting times.

It was discontinued because although all religious groups in the area were invited to submit information, only a few did, he said. "I think we should resurrect that."

Rees' talk was followed by a brief discussion of possible outreaches to students, such as holding a "religion fair" on campus and organizing a campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

It was noted that some congregations have young-adult groups that attract many college students.

Newman said his center has succeeded by serving meals after church services and offering presentations by thought-provoking speakers.

He suggested the area's faith communities appoint representatives to discuss how they might be more successful at offering students alternatives to parties.

Chico Chi Tau Death Update: Judge Says "Torture" Charges Might Be Possible

The local paper reports that a judge has indicated that charges of "torture" might be possible in the Chi Tau case. The maximum possible penalty for a conviction of torture would apparently be considerably higher than the penalty for hazing. (The defendants had gone to court attempting to have the hazing charges thrown out.)

So it looks like there will be more to come on this story

http://www.chicoer.com/local_news/ci_2939825

One of the things I will never understand is why people put up with other people yelling at them and making them do dumb and unsafe things to gain admittance.

If any sorority made me do things like that just to get membership, I would have peaced out and not once looked back.

Well said, princess. For a long time I've wished that new members / pledges could be made more aware of the power they have, especially as a group. If enough new members absolutely would not tolerate what was being done to them or their peers, reported the GLO or filed charges, and walked out, I think Greek life -- at least on campuses where hazing's still strong -- would be improved.

A big problem, of course, is when new members actually live in the hoouse. That's a lot more common for fraternities than sororities, and the fear of having to find a new place to live on short notice -- plus the fear of having personal property destroyed -- can deter new members from taking the "I'm outa here" step.