Here is the link to the story. Here is the important question for reporters. Given deaths at unregulated chapters at Plattsburgh, Albany and Geneseo, what has Oneonta done to try to quash Alpha Pi out of existence?–Moderator Hank Nuwer
Excerpt from NBC
SUNY Oneonta freshman Daniel William Michaels, of Dix Hills, died from cardiac arrest after someone noticed him unconscious on a couch at a house where members of a fraternity lived early on Saturday, according to The Daily Star of Ostego County. School officials say the fraternity, Alpha Pi, isn’t recognized by SUNY Oneonta.
A coroner said preliminary toxicology report indicates that Michaels, who was studying business and economics, had a mix of amphetamines, benzodiazepines and alcohol in his system. A full toxicology report is set to be released in four to six weeks.
According to the newspaper, students called 911 after someone picking up another student saw Michaels on the couch. But before police arrived on scene, someone else drove the unconscious 18-year-old to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Drugs, alcohol caused cardiac arrest, death of SUCO student, police say
By Erin Jerome Staff Writer
Cardiac arrest caused by a combination of drugs and alcohol caused the death of a freshman at the State University College of Oneonta early Saturday morning, Oneonta Police Chief Douglas Brenner told The Daily Star on Monday.
Daniel William Michaels, an 18-year-old from Dix Hills on Long Island studying business economics, was found unconscious on a couch at 34 Academy Street shortly after midnight, Brenner said.
Students interviewed said that Michaels lived in Tobey Hall on campus and was pledging the Alpha Pi fraternity, a Greek group not recognized by the university.
A group of students picking up a friend at the address noticed Michaels and alerted someone who lived at the house. A student called 911, but as police officers were responding Michaels was transferred to A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital in a private vehicle. He was in cardiac arrest on arrival and died a short time later, Brenner said.
A preliminary toxicology report was positive for amphetamines and benzodiazepines, but the amounts of the drugs will not be available until a full report is released in about four weeks, according to Otsego County Coroner Terry Knapp.
Michaels had a relatively small amount of alcohol in his system below the legal limit, Knapp said, adding that the drugs may have been ingested separately or combined as an ecstasy or “molly” capsule or powder.
Police are investigating where Michaels was earlier in the night and where he may have obtained the drugs, Brenner said, noting that foul play is not suspected at this time.
A GoFundMe page has been created to finance a scholarship in Michaels’ name, and nearly $13,000 of a $13,500 goal has been raised in two days.
“Oneonta considers the students part of the community, and the loss of an 18-year-old member of the community is really heart-wrenching for everyone,” Brenner said.
Januarycould see the harshest jail time for a hazing death. Michael Deng’s family has requested a suitable punishment.
The school is based in New York. The homicide occurred in Pensylvania.
Excerpt from The New York Times
Four fraternity members from New York City are expected to be sentenced on Monday after they pleaded guilty to charges that stemmed from the death of a Baruch College freshman who fell unconscious during a hazing ritual at a weekend retreat in rural Pennsylvania four years ago.
Neary two years after the death of the 18-year-old student, Chun Hsien Deng, prosecutors in Monroe County, Pa., announced that 37 people had been charged, and that the four men — as well as the fraternity itself, Pi Delta Psi — faced the most serious counts, including third-degree murder and aggravated assault.
Last month, after a seven-day trial, a jury acquitted the fraternity, Pi Delta Psi, on charges of third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter, but the fraternity was found guilty of numerous other charges, including aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter and hindering apprehension by concealing or destroying evidence.
The students had come to the Poconos from New York City in the winter of 2013 for a retreat for potential members to be initiated into Pi Delta Psi, an Asian-American fraternity. Mr. Deng, who went by Michael, was one of the pledges, and the authorities said he was knocked out during a ritual in which he was forced to cross a frozen yard while wearing a blindfold, carrying a backpack weighed down with sand while being pummeled by other fraternity members.
Prosecutors said the students delayed in seeking medical aid for Mr. Deng, and instead tried to resuscitate him themselves and called fraternity leaders who told them to hide anything bearing the fraternity’s name or symbol.
Photo
Mr. Deng, above, was pummeled by fraternity members while crossing a frozen field blindfolded and carrying a backpack filled with sand.
Prosecutors praised the verdict against Pi Delta Psi, which the jury reached on Nov. 21, as holding the fraternity responsible for the “senseless and completely avoidable death of a strong, smart, promising college freshman.” The fraternity, which has a sentencing scheduled next month, faces penalties of fines of as much as $25,000 for each charge and could be restricted from operating in Pennsylvania.
IOWA CITY — One sorority and one fraternity out of 26 eligible University of Iowa Greek chapters have asked to hold parties with alcohol this weekend — as part of a test of new, strict guidelines around such events in the future.
The Phi Kappa Psi fraternity is planning to host a party from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Iowa City. The Chi Omega sorority is planning its event from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Rapid Creek Cidery in Iowa City.
Both organizations, per the proposed formal and date party policy, had to provide the university with a guest list — Phi Kappa Psi expects 200 attendees, and Chi Omega is planning for 300, according to information provided to The Gazette from the university.
This weekend’s events will be the first sanctioned Greek system parties with alcohol since the university enacted a moratorium on them in May after UI freshman Kamil Jackowski, 19, died April 30 during a Sigma Chi event at Lake of the Ozarks. He was there for an out-of-town formal with his fraternity, and thus events outside Johnson County were barred, too.
A fraternity and sorority life alcohol harm reduction work group has been meeting since to create a path forward. The group developed highly regulated party guidelines that they offered the university’s 26 compliant chapters to test this weekend. Ten chapters are not in good standing for reasons the university hasn’t disclosed, and therefore can’t host a local party with alcohol.
