Hazing Can Lead to Serious Criminal Charges

Written by:Julian Stroleny PortraitJulian Stroleny

Hazing has long been a familiar part of campus life for many Florida college students. It is often mild, harmless teasing. Unfortunately, it sometimes becomes far more serious, and this can lead to injury – or even death. The Florida Legislature is now considering an anti-hazing bill after one such tragic case. Whether the bill passes or not, hazing can lead to serious criminal charges for all students who become involved. These are not always misdemeanor charges (for example, harassment). When there is death or injury, other students can be charged with assault – or even homicide. It is critically important for any student charged with hazing to consult with an experienced Miami criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. At Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney, our skilled attorney knows how to handle hazing cases. He has experience defending a wide variety of cases in courts all across Florida. Call (305) 615-1285 today to arrange your free phone consultation. Don’t delay – the sooner a criminal defense attorney begins working on your case, the better protected your constitutional rights will be.

When Hazing Turns to Tragedy

The impetus behind the proposed bill was a tragic death the occurred at Florida State University. The Tallahassee Democrat reports that Andrew Coffey, 20, was a pledge of the FSU chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. The Chapter was already on a liquor ban for previous alcohol violations. Nonetheless, the Chapter arranged a party away from their chapter house to get around the ban and shuttled pledges to another location via Lyft and Uber. The pledges were then each given an entire bottle of liquor. Coffey drank an entire bottle of Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon and became unconscious. The other fraternity members did not call 911, reportedly because they feared criminal prosecution. Coffey was left alone for hours, losing any possible chance for survival. The members’ fears were realized when nine of them were charged with causing injury or death. The FSU chapter of Pi Kappa Phi was closed by the national office.

It does not appear that any of the Pi Kappa Phi brothers intended to harm or kill Andrew Coffey. Nonetheless, he died, and the brothers face serious criminal charges as a result. In some cases, hazing can even lead to homicide charges that could carry life sentences. Whether the potential prison time is long or not, the collateral consequences of a hazing conviction could affect a student’s educational, housing, job, and other prospects for the rest of his or her life. This is why it is so important to be represented by an experienced hazing attorney.

Call Us Today to Schedule a Consultation with an Aggressive Miami Criminal Defense Attorney

Don’t make the mistake of underestimating a criminal charge related to hazing. Even if the incident seems like a minor altercation that got out of control, the criminal charges can still carry serious penalties that will follow a student for the rest of his or her life. Consult with the experienced criminal defense attorney at Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney as soon as possible in order to protect your legal rights. He protects clients during an initial investigation by law enforcement, throughout the charging and pretrial court processes, and – if necessary – at trial and during any appeals or other post-conviction matters. Call (305) 615-1285 or contact us online today to arrange your free phone consultation.

Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney handles a variety of criminal law cases, so call now if you have any questions.

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