Update: Parents' Lawsuit
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wi...,2938898.story
Brief excerpts from the Associated Press article:
"Greek organizations present unique dangers, real dangers, to students on campus. And Rider specifically chose to manage them with less supervision and to give them control over their own activities despite the risk," said . . . [the]
lawyer representing the DeVercellys.
A Rider spokesman could not immediately comment on the lawsuit.
Steve Hartman, the national chief executive of Phi Kappa Tau, declined to comment directly about the lawsuit, but said the fraternity has proper policies and procedures in place for its chapters.
"But I do believe that if things weren't clear in our organization and in fraternities in general, I think this situation has raised the bar that this does and can happen," Hartman said.
The lawsuit claims fraternity members urged DeVercelly to drink a bottle of vodka, and then delayed seeking medical attention for DeVercelly when he became ill, even banging the freshman's head on a trash can while trying to get him to vomit. By the time a call was made for emergency medical help, DeVercelly had turned blue and was foaming at the mouth, the suit states.
DeVercelly died the next day at a local hospital. . . .
Interesting assertion by the parents' lawyer about "unique dangers, real dangers" and "less supervision."