GUILTY FL - Robert Champion, 26, FAMU drum major, dies in hazing incident, 19 Nov 2011

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Former roommate pleads ’no contest’ in Florida band hazing death

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/05/10/former-roommate-pleads-no-contest-in-florida-band-hazing-death

ORLANDO, Fla. - A former roommate who insisted he tried to protect a Florida college drum major from a fatal hazing ritual in 2011 accepted a plea deal on Friday to avoid facing worse charges at a trial that had been set for next week.

Rikki Wills, 24, who saw drum major Robert Champion gasp his last breath, pleaded no contest to felony and misdemeanor hazing in exchange for prosecutors dropping a manslaughter charge that carried a potential 15-year prison sentence, his lawyer told Reuters.

“He realized how high the stakes were. It was just a little too much of a risk for him,” defense attorney William Hancock said............

“I think some of them should have been charged but certainly not these least culpable,” Hancock said, referring to Wills. “I really think that the institution (FAMU) should have been charged.”
 
Only woman defendant pleads in FAMU hazing case

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=2El0imVf

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The only woman charged in the hazing death of a Florida A&M drum major will have to spend 100 hours performing community service after pleading no contest on Friday.

Lasherry Codner became the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the case. The others asked for more time to consider plea offers by the prosecutor.

More at link.....
 
Kyle Hightower ‏@khightower 13 Nov
2 more plead in FAMU hazing; 1 could go to prison http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2-more-defendants-plead-famu-hazing-case …

2 more plead in FAMU hazing; 1 could go to prison

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A former band member charged in the hazing death of a Florida A&M drum major pleaded no contest to manslaughter Wednesday and could become the first person to go to prison for his involvement in the beating.

Prosecutor Jeff Ashton described Jessie Baskin, 22, as being "most-consistently identified as the most enthusiastic" band member participating in the hazing ritual that led to Robert Champion' death. Baskin was beating Champion with his hands and feet, Ashton said.

A deal with prosecutors calls for Baskin to spend nine years in prison, though his attorneys can argue for a lighter punishment when a judge sentences him in February........

Also Wednesday, Harold Finley, 21, pleaded guilty to felony hazing. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped manslaughter and misdemeanor hazing charges and he was sentenced to one-year of house arrest, four years of probation, 100 hours of community service and he must complete an anti-hazing course.

Judge Marc Lubet said the sentence would also be contingent on Finley graduating from a college he is enrolled in and continuing to cooperate with prosecutors.

"I want you to graduate from college and go and make something of yourself," Lubet told Finley......more.......
 
Reader said:
Defendant gives eyewitness account of Champion's hazing death

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/feat...champion-eye-witness-20130308,0,2620035.story

Ryan Dean, a co-defendant in the hazing death Robert Champion, has provided an eyewitness account of the FAMU drum major's brutal death. The release of his statement coincided Friday with the announcement that defendant Caleb Jackson would plead guilty to participating in the hazing.

In his statement, Dean identified defendant LaSherry Codner who, he says, punched Champion and held him back from reaching the rear of the bus as he absorbed kicks and punches from other band members. Dean also described defendant Benjamin McNamee holding onto the rails of the bus as he appeared to be kicking Champion after he had fallen into a seat.

Dean named others as well..............

More at link.....
Click to expand...

Why does anyone get personal satisfaction/enjoyment out of inflicting pain on others. I'll never understand it.
 
Reader said:
Only woman defendant pleads in FAMU hazing case

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=2El0imVf

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The only woman charged in the hazing death of a Florida A&M drum major will have to spend 100 hours performing community service after pleading no contest on Friday.

Lasherry Codner became the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the case. The others asked for more time to consider plea offers by the prosecutor.

More at link.....
Click to expand...

Seriously, no jail time? She punched him and held him back and contributed to his death!
 
Hazing should totally be a life sentence! Or even death. This makes me so very angry!
 
Thought I would post this article for anyone just now seeing this sad case.

fran



Recounting the deadly hazing that destroyed FAMU band's reputation

Champion's autopsy would show extensive, widespread contusions over his chest, right shoulder, arms and back, extensive bleeding in his tissues. The medical examiner would say he died from hemorrhagic shock due to internal bleeding from blunt force trauma sustained during a hazing incident. Police would arrest 12 people on felony hazing charges, including drum majors Jonathan Boyce, Jarrod Deas, Shawn Turner and Rikki Wills. The number of arrests made it one of the largest cases ever built around a hazing incident.

full article at link ......... http://www.tampabay.com/news/humani...-that-destroyed-famu-bands-reputation/1260765
 
http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/6-defendants-famu-hazing-death-trial-reject-plea-d/ncjPQ/

ORLANDO, Fla. — Lawyers for six people charged in the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion said their defendants will go to trial.

The six decided against plea deals nearly two years after Champion's death caught national attention and sidelined the Marching 100 band.

The former FAMU band members face manslaughter and hazing charges in the November 2011 death of Champion of Decatur, Ga......

Champion's parents were in court Friday morning as a judge set a June 9 trial date.

"We need to get this over with and show people that justice can be done," said Champion.......

The Champions said one way to stop hazing is to call it what they believe it truly is.

"It's abuse, even murder," said Pamela Champion.......more.......
 
Good. I hope they get what they deserve. And it's not marching orders. Unless the marching ends at a prison.
 
http://www.tallahassee.com/story/ne...azing-trial-starts-famu-band-member/18041109/

Jury selection in the trial of one of the four remaining former Florida A&M University’s band members charged with felony hazing and manslaughter in the death of a drum major is set to move to a second day, while trials for three other remaining defendants have been postponed until April.

Attorneys questioned 80 prospective jurors Monday at the start of the trial of Dante Martin, 27. About 45 of them were held for additional questioning Tuesday. The trial began nearly three years after drum major Robert Champion died from being beaten. It is expected to last a week.
Click to expand...
 
http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/trial-wrapping-drum-majors-hazing-death/nhw9p/

Jurors could start deliberating Friday in the case of a former Florida A&M University band member charged with manslaughter and hazing in the death of a drum major who was beaten nearly three years ago on a band bus as part of a hazing ritual.

The defense presented no witnesses, and Dante Martin, 27, accused by witnesses of being the ringleader, declined to take the stand in his own defense Thursday. "It wasn't necessary," defense attorney Richard Escobar said. "The government's witnesses were our witnesses."
Click to expand...
 
Posted: 04/24/2015 6:44 pm EDT Updated: 34 minutes ago
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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jurors have convicted the last three defendants of manslaughter and hazing in the death of a Florida A&M drum major, ending a three-year-old case that shined a light on ritualized hazing within the school's famed band
The six-member jury deliberated for 2 1/2 hours Friday before reaching a verdict.
Benjamin McNamee, Darryl Cearnel and Aaron Golson were the final three defendants charged with manslaughter and hazing for 26-year-old Robert Champion's death in 2011.
A total of 15 defendants were charged originally.
Champion's beating death aboard a band bus parked outside an Orlando hotel after a football game exposed a culture of hazing within the school's band.
Champion ran through a gauntlet of fellow band members who punched, kicked and struck him with instruments. He collapsed and died a short time later.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/24/convicted-florida-am-hazing_n_7139900.html
 
Hazing shouldn't be legal. Colleges should stamp out any hazing episodes by coming down hard on groups, frats and sororities that use hazing. There are too many deaths. I can't see the appeal frankly of letting yourself go through such awful pain and humiliation to be part of a group. I also cannot understand why anyone would inflict such pain and humiliation on someone else and have no qualms about doing it.
 
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