11 local frat boys charged with killing pledge at Plattsburgh

[hoosier]

Fraternity Brothers Charged In Student Death
11 Psi Epsilon Chi Members Accused In Alleged Hazing Fatality

POSTED: 3:30 p.m. EDT April 30, 2003

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- Plattsburgh City Police have charged 11 college students with killing their fraternity pledge.




11 Charged Members Of Psi Epsilon Chi
Police charged each of the 11 members of Psi Epsilon Chi fraternity in Plattsburgh with criminally negligent homicide, hazing, and several other charges.


Investigators said during 10 days of pledging, the fraternity members forced Walter "Dean" Jennings (pictured, right), 18, to drink excessive amounts of water through a funnel until he vomited. They said Jennings was forced to do this several times. Autopsy results revealed that Jennings died from "swelling of the brain" by water intoxication.

Jennings, who was from Gansevoort, N.Y., was taken to the hospital in Plattsburgh on March 12, 2003, where he was listed in critical condition. He died later that night at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington.


Police have arrested eight members of the fraternity; two more are expected to turn themselves in to police tonight. Police in the Albany, N.Y., area are still searching for one person.

Psi Epsilon Chi is a fraternity no longer recognized by Plattsburgh State University. It lost its college charter in 1998.

The fraternity members who have been charged are:

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Adam L. Atkinson, 21, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
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John E. Bernius, 21, Ronkonkonma, N.Y.
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Christopher M. Colletti, 19 Maybrook, N.Y.
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William W. Farmer III, 20, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
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Alex W. Fischer, 21, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
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Gary R. Jones, 21, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
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William C. Katz, 24
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Jeffrey R. Meyer, 21, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
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Patrick J. Stasiukiewicz, 21, Mattituck, N.Y.
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Michael J. West, 20, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
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Adam Zastowny, 21, Plattsburgh, N.Y.