Saw this in the paper today - sad.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/6682073.html
exerpt:
Donnie Wade Sr., a minister, said Thursday he does not know what exactly caused his son's death but is certain that hazing was involved. He also said that his son was terrified that other fraternity members might harm him.
But what hurts the most, the victim's father said, is that no one from the fraternity has called to express their condolences. He also believes his son was abandoned at the hospital by the fraternity members.
“We don't know if they dumped him at the door, escorted him inside or what,” said one of the victim's relatives, Milton Flowers of Dallas. Nobody from the fraternity was at the hospital to greet the student's parents when they arrived.
The minister said his son, who had no known health issues, had been required to do rigorous exercises that included doing “push-ups on his knuckles and laying on his back while he held his feet 6 inches off the ground.”
He also said his son was fearful because a dozen members from a different fraternity had beaten him last November after he'd transferred there from Stephen F. Austin State University.
“He had gone to the fraternity house to watch a football game, and they didn't like it because he was wearing his old school's colors,” he said. “They beat him so hard with a paddle that it made his butt leathery. ”
He said he wanted to report the incident, but his son begged him not to, fearing repercussions.
‘Out of control'
This year his son decided to join Phi Beta Sigma, thinking it was different, the minister said.
“But then they started telling him things like they were going to give him some wood (beat him with a stick). And that he couldn't walk on the grass because it was the color green,” he said. “And when we last saw him, he couldn't eat certain foods so he'd hadn't eaten in a couple of days.”
He last saw his son on homecoming weekend, a week before he died.
“My son was so afraid,” he said.
The minister recounted another story where one fraternity member ordered his son to buy him liquor. When his son objected, saying it was illegal, the fraternity member said, “I don't care how you do it. Just do it and keep it until I need it,” his father said.
To prevent his son from getting in trouble, the minister bought the liquor for him. He again followed his son's wishes not to report it.
“The fraternities are out of control,” he said.
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