Story Link: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/breaking_news/story/822381.html
Posted on Thu, Aug. 20, 2009
Students accused in Cal Poly hazing death appear in court
Nick Wilson
Two Cal Poly students accused in the hazing death of a freshman last year were back in court today for a preliminary hearing.
Haithem Ibrahim and Zacary Ellis are charged for their alleged roles in the alcohol-related death of 18-year-old freshman Carson Starkey in December 2008.
They have pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor Craig Van Rooyen argued to open the hearing that Ibrahim and Ellis had key roles in providing Starkey with the beer and hard liquor that he drank quickly as part of a traditional drinking event that led to his death.
Fellow fraternity brother Christopher Perkins is on the stand today, testifying against Ibrahim and Ellis in exchange for his immunity from prosecution.
Perkins said he poured out some of his alcohol on a previous fraternity drinking night when he was a pledge because he didn’t want his “big brother” to see any alcohol remaining — which was expected of pledges at this annual event.
Perkins also said that pledges in the fraternity typically weren’t allowed to make eye contact with the pledge educator or communicate with him directly as part of the fraternity’s tradition. Ellis is the alleged pledge educator in December 2008 and Ibrahim was Starkey’s alleged designated big brother who assigned him alcohol to drink.
Perkins’ testimony resumes this afternoon in Judge Michael Duffy’s courtroom.
Ibrahim and Ellis are being charged with the felony violation of hazing causing death and a misdemeanor of furnishing alcohol to a minor causing death.
