Link to Creighton University and Samuel Wheeler. Excerpt below:
OMAHA, Neb. —It’s February 2017. Christopher Wheeler breaks into a young woman’s dorm room on the Creighton University campus, then slashes her throat with a knife.
Wheeler was pledging with Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. During the criminal case, Wheeler and his attorney argued that night he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs and was hazed.
Wheeler spoke with KETV Newswatch 7 following his arrest.
“Big shock when I heard what I did,” he said, “Disgusted with myself. I just wanted to apologize to Teresa and also apologize to the university.”
Wheeler was eventually sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Creighton banned the fraternity from campus until 2025.
The victim in that stabbing case is now suing the national Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, a Nebraska Phi Kappa Psi foundation and an alumni group and some former fraternity officers in the Creighton chapter. Wheeler is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit shows Creighton had already placed the fraternity on “social probation” at the time of the assault, following an investigation in 2016.
According to the suit, the chapter had come under investigation “as a result of an anonymous complaint of hazing and underage drinking activities by Phi Psi.”
The suit goes on to say that probation “included an order that Phi Psi conduct a completely alcohol-free ‘Rush’ in 2017, also known as a ‘Dry Rush'”
The lawsuit said, “Despite all these warnings and restrictions, Phi Psi conducted ‘Rush’ in 2017 with multiple occasions of forced drinking…and encouraging alcohol consumption by potential new members to the point of vomiting and/or blacking out.”
On the night of the incident, the lawsuit said, “Wheeler is encouraged to consume alcoholic liquors as part of the pledge process”, and the fraternity president “provides at least two beers to Wheeler.”
It also alleges one or more of the Phi Kappa Psi defendants in the president’s room “produces a water bong used for smoking marijuana” and “Wheeler is encouraged to smoke.”
Again, Wheeler is not listed as a defendant in this lawsuit.
During the criminal proceedings, a judge ordered Wheeler’s defense could not make the claim that his actions were involuntary and the result of hazing.
The lawsuit argues that, “Had Phi Psi and the National Fraternity acted reasonably to address the ongoing hazing, excessive drinking, underage drinking and other misconduct at Phi Psi, (the victim) would not have been violently attacked.”
The national Phi Kappa Psi organization responded to KETV Newswatch 7 inquiries and said, “We are aware of the lawsuit that has been filed but have not yet been served. We cannot comment on pending litigation.”
