Moderator: Two defendants accepted plea bargaining rather than go to trial and take the full consequences of a possible manslaughter and Chad Meredith (Florida) Law hazing conviction with 20+ years possible for both. If anyone continues to even think about beating a pledge or band member in the future, thinking about nine years in prison ought to give real pause. Hank Nuwer
Band member Harold Finley gets off relatively easy with one year of house arrest.
The prosecutor’s fingers point to Jesse Baskins as perhaps the key beater in the Robert Champion death. Sentencing for him comes later. –Hank Nuwer
