Kappa Alpha Psi

Cape Girardeau, MO: (Jul-11-07) Michael Davis died in February of 1994 after being beaten to death while pledging for Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at Southeast Missouri State University. After being brutally beaten, his fraternity members stopped to get food at a Taco Bell directly across the street from a hospital, then drove the unconscious boy home and put him to bed, instead of getting him any medical attention. On finding him foaming at the mouth, the fraternity brothers called 911 and lied to the rescue workers by telling them that Davis had been injured playing football. The coroner's report proved otherwise. Davis and his fraternity believed that hazing was the physical conditioning of the mind. Davis had broken ribs, a lacerated kidney, a lacerated liver, and bruises all over his chest, neck, back and arms. He died from internal bleeding in his brain.

Four other pledges were badly bruised and sore from the continual beatings they had received over the week before Davis died. These included being hit with books and beaten on the soles of their feet with a cane. As a result, sixteen defendants were charged with hazing. Seven fraternity brothers also either pled guilty to or were convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Most of the seven served short jail sentences. Although the criminal cases were concluded in 1994, the Davis family's civil suit against Kappa Alpha Psi and its officers was not resolved until recently when Kappa agreed to pay $1.4 million dollars to settle the suit. Members and faculty advisors of the local chapter where Davis pledged had previously settled for $850,000. [DIVERSE EDUCATION: HAZING DEATH]

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Published on Jul-12-07