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Hazing News

from Debbie Smith, activist

Good Morning Everyone

As you may recall last month I sent out a Matt update concerning a recent hazing in Chico.  It is very disheartening to see that some have not learned from Matt’s death or from those that lost their lives to hazing before him.  As much as we had hoped to never have to use Matt’s Law, I am pleased to see that it is going to be enforced in hopes that it will help dissuade hazing in the future.

What I find very  discouraging after all the hard work we did and how well known Matt’s story is in Butte County that this incident took place just blocks away from where Matt was killed.  On a positive note, it is my understanding that some of the fraternity members refused to participate in these rituals because they knew hazing was wrong.

So, it appears Matt’s story and all of our hard work is starting to pay off and by these charges being pressed I believe it will continue.  Maybe next time those that know it’s wrong, rather than just walk away, will actually put a stop to it.

Below is a press release from DA Ramsey’s office that is going out today.

PRESS RELEASE
July 9, 2007
(For Immediate Release)

THREE TO BE CHARGED IN HAZING INCIDENT

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey announced today that three members of the now-banned Beta Theta Pi fraternity will be charged with misdemeanor violations of “Matt’s Law, for hazing activity that occurred in April of this year.

Christopher Bizot, 23, and Michael Murphy, 22, were the president and vice-president of the fraternity at the time of the incidents, and Chico State students. The third person, Matthew Krupp, 23, a Butte College student, was the fraternity’s “Ritualist”. Each is alleged to have had an active role in hazing pledges to the fraternity in a manner which was “likely to cause serious bodily injury”to the pledges. Bizot is additionally charged with interfering with an investigation into the hazing allegations by California State University Chico Police.

“It is surprising and saddening that this type of activity continues to go on in spite of past tragedies,” said Ramsey. “People need to know that we take these offenses very seriously and will hold those responsible to account,” he concluded.

The anti-hazing legislation, Penal Code section 245.6, was named “Matt’s Law” in honor of Chico State student Matthew Carrington, who died as a result of hazing in 2005. The new case may be the first prosecution brought under the law.

A court date for the first appearance of the defendants has not yet been set.

“Hug your children and tell them you love them everyday.”

Love,
Debbie, MM
www.wemissyoumatt.com

By Hank Nuwer

Journalist Hank Nuwer is the Alaska author of Hazing: Destroying Young Lives; Broken Pledges: The Deadly Rite of Hazing, High School Hazing, Wrongs of Passage and The Hazing Reader. In April of 2024, the Alaska Press Club awarded him first place in the Best Columnist division and Best Humorist, second place.

He has written articles or columns on hazing for the Sunday Times of India, Toronto Globe & Mail, Harper's Magazine, Orlando Sentinel, The Chronicle of Higher Education and the New York Times Sunday Magazine. His current book is Hazing: Destroying Young Lives from Indiana University Press. He is married to Malgorzata Wroblewska Nuwer of Warsaw, Poland and Fairbanks, Alaska. Nuwer is a former columnist for the Greenville (Ohio)Early Bird and former managing editor of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in Alaska.
Nuwer was named the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists columnist of the year in 2021 for his “After Darke” column in the Early Bird. He also won third place for the column in 2022 from the Indiana chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He and his wife Gosia, recently of Union City, Ind., have owned 20 acres in Alaska for many years. “The move is a sort-of coming home for us,” said Nuwer. As a journalist, he’s written about the Alaskan Iditarod sled-dog race and other Alaska topics. Read his musings in his blog at Real Alaska Daily--http://realalaskadaily.com and in his weekly column "Far from Randolph" in the Winchester Star-Gazette of Randolph County, Indiana.

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