GreekChat.com Forums - LXA-UGa starts legal defense fund

As some of you are aware, Travis Starr, a freshman LXA brother at UGa, died in an accident in Mar., 2003. Starr, some other Lambda Chis, and some non-members were in the truck - but it was not a chapter function.

Starr's parents have filed a suit against the chapter. The chapter's insurance carrier has asked the court to rule that the incident is not covered by the policy.

The chapter has hired a lawyer to fight the insurance company, with an initial fee of $5000 coming from the chapter's social budget, and has a commitment for an addl. $10,000 from the House Corp.

The chapter is appealing to alumni for contributions to the Legal Defense Fund. Alumni leader Charlie Thompson has written "I would be unwilling to give any money ... if the lawsuit resulted from wrongful or dangerous actions taken by the Chapter as a whole. However, this accident involved individuals wwho happened to be members of a fraternity, and the accident in no way related to their membership in the fraternity. In my opinion, it is simply wrong to hold 100 young men accountable for events in which they had absolutely no role."

Contributions can be sent to

Legal Defense Fund
Nu Zeta Alumni Assn.
%Omega Financial Inc.
PO Box 2187
Columbus, GA 31902

The newspaper search results below pretty much tell the story, but follow these links if you want more.

http://www.onlineathens.com/cgi-bin/...G=travis+starr

If the above long link doesn't work, use this link and search for "Travis Starr"

http://www.onlineathens.com

27. (85%)UGA freshman in coma after accident 04/21/03
UGA freshman in coma after accident By Kate Carter and Kimberly E. Mock kcarter@onlineathens.com and kmock@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A University of Georgia freshman remains hospitalized after being thrown from the bed of a moving truck earl

20. (89%)UGA freshman remains in critical condition 04/22/03
UGA freshman remains in critical condition By Stephen Gurr sgurr@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A University of Georgia student who fell from the bed of a pickup truck and was severely injured last week was not involved in a fraternity activity a

1. (95%)Correction 04/23/03
Correction OAS_AD('Position2'); An article published Tuesday in the Banner-Herald gave the incorrect name for a 19-year-old University of Georgia student injured in an accident last week. His name is Travis Starr. Published in the Athens Banner-Heral

2. (95%)No change in student's condition 04/23/03
No change in student's condition OAS_AD('Position2'); A 19-year-old college student who sustained serious head injuries in a car accident last week remained in critical condition at an Augusta hospital Tuesday. Travis Starr, 19, is in the neurologica

6. (92%)Arrest in traffic incident 04/25/03
Arrest in traffic incident By Stephen Gurr sgurr@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); Brett Allen Steele File A University of Georgia student was arrested Thursday on charges related to a April 17 traffic accident that left a fraternity brother in cr

3. (94%)UGA student who fell from truck dies 04/27/03
UGA student who fell from truck dies By Allison Floyd afloyd@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A University of Georgia freshman who fell from the bed of a moving pickup truck earlier this month has died. Travis F. Starr III, 19, of Martinez died

19. (89%)Several options in student death case 05/01/03
Several options in student death case By Stephen Gurr sgurr@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); District Attorney Ken Mauldin won't say whether he plans to make presentments to a Clarke County grand jury regarding a April 17 traffic accident that clai

11. (91%)UGA student indicted 07/08/03
UGA student indicted By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A University of Georgia student has been indicted on homicide and other charges in connection with a traffic accident that fatally injured a fraternity brother earlier

14. (90%)Student charged in driving death enters not guilty plea 07/23/03
Student charged in driving death enters not guilty plea By Lee Shearer lshearer@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A Clarke County Superior Court judge has set a Sept. 29 trial date for a University of Georgia student charged with vehicular homicide.

9. (91%)Trial in frat brother's death delayed postponed 09/13/03
Trial in frat brother's death delayed postponed By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A new trial date has been set in the case of the University of Georgia student charged with homicide for the April driving death of a frater

16. (89%)Trial of UGA student accused of homicide postponed 11/10/03
Trial of UGA student accused of homicide postponed By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); The trial of a University of Georgia student accused of homicide in a traffic accident earlier this year that claimed the life of a frate

13. (91%)Student's trial set to start 01/12/04
Student's trial set to start By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); The trial of a University of Georgia student accused of vehicular homicide in the accidental death of a fraternity brother last year is set to get under way wi

15. (90%)Student death trial jury selection under way 01/13/04
Student death trial jury selection under way OAS_AD('Position2'); Selection of jurors began Monday in the trial of a University of Georgia student accused of vehicular homicide in the accidental death of a fraternity brother last year. The outcome of

12. (91%)Accused only one not drinking, says testimony 01/14/04
Accused only one not drinking, says testimony By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); Brett Allen Steele The death last year of a University of Georgia freshman came after a night of drinking by a group of students in downtown

7. (92%)Judge denies verdict request from defense 01/15/04
Judge denies verdict request from defense By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A Clarke County Superior Court judge on Wednesday refused a defense request that he render a verdict before allowing the jury to consider the case

5. (94%)Defendant: Victim looked uninjured 01/16/04
Defendant: Victim looked uninjured By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); University of Georgia student Brett Steele took the witness stand in his own defense Thursday, explaining that when fraternity brother Travis Starr fell

4. (94%)Student guilty in truck fall 01/17/04
Student guilty in truck fall By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com OAS_AD('Position2'); A Clarke County Superior Court jury on Friday found a University of Georgia student guilty of misdemeanor charges stemming from the death last year of a frater

24. (86%)20-year-old driver to be sentenced in court 03/19/04
20-year-old driver to be sentenced in court By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com Brett Allen Steele, 20 A University of Georgia student found guilty of misdemeanor charges in the death last year of a fraternity brother who fell from his pickup

21. (88%)UGA student sentenced in fraternity brother's death 03/19/04
UGA student sentenced in fraternity brother's death By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com UGA student Brett Steele, left, and defense attorney Gerald Brown in Superior Court Judge David Sweat's courtroom during sentencing on FridaySteele was convict

29. (84%)Student given 30 days in fatal fall from pickup 03/20/04
Student given 30 days in fatal fall from pickup By Ronell Smith ronell.smith@onlineathens.com University of Georgia student Brett Steele, left, stands with his attorney, Gerald Brown, Friday in Clarke County Superior Court during sentencing on charges of

26. (86%)Victim's family likely will not file civil suit 03/24/04
Victim's family likely will not file civil suit By Ross Markman ross.markman@onlineathens.com The family of a University of Georgia fraternity brother killed last year likely will not file a civil suit against the student found guilty of vehicular homic

10. (91%)Student's responsible actions unfairly landed him in jail 03/25/04
Student's responsible actions unfairly landed him in jail While I agree the death of Travis Starr following a fall from the back of a pickup truck is tragic, and, as a mother, I can't even begin to imagine the pain his parents feel, I believe Brent Stee

23. (87%)Lambda Chi has shown itself unfit for UGA 12/02/04
Lambda Chi has shown itself unfit for UGA Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity's University of Georgia chapter should be shut down today. Not after some "investigation" by the university's student affairs staff, not after any "inquiry" by the fraternity's national

8. (91%)Lambda Chi Alpha tragedies no laughing matter 12/07/04
Lambda Chi Alpha tragedies no laughing matter Your Dec. 2 editorial regarding Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was shamefully cold-hearted and crass. Your dreadful attempt at sarcasm demonstrates an insensitivity toward the tragedies which have befallen two you

28. (85%)Conviction in UGA death thrown out 10/07/05
Conviction in UGA death thrown out By Joe Johnson joe.johnson@onlineathens.com The Georgia Court of Appeals overturned the 2004 vehicular homicide conviction of a University of Georgia student in the death of a fraternity brother who fell from his pickup t

25. (86%)Student will begin sentence in fatal fall 01/06/06
Student will begin sentence in fatal fall A University of Georgia student is scheduled to report to the Clarke County Jail tonight to begin serving a 15-day sentence for failing to report when a fraternity brother fell from his truck and later died. In 200