Family of Florida Drum Major Who Died in Suspected Hazing Incident to Sue School
- Posted on November 25, 2011 at 2:30pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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MIAMI (The Blaze/AP) — The family of a Florida A&M University drum major who died in what authorities suspect was a hazing incident will sue the school, an attorney said Friday.
The family of Robert Champion, 26, is spending the holiday weekend planning Champion’s funeral, attorney Christopher Chestnut said.
The Atlanta resident was found on a bus parked outside an Orlando hotel Saturday night after the school’s football team lost to rival Bethune-Cookman. Police said Champion, a clarinet player who recently was named drum major, had been vomiting and complained he couldn’t breathe shortly before he collapsed.
The cause of Champion‘s death hasn’t been determined. Preliminary autopsy results were inconclusive, and a spokeswoman with the Orange County medical examiner’s office said it could take up to three months to learn exactly what killed him.
Law enforcement officials have said they believe some form of hazing took place before 911 was called. Chestnut said he also believes the injuries Champion sustained were consistent with hazing.
A spokesman for the school, which was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, could not be reached for comment Friday.
In Florida, any death involving hazing is a third-degree felony.
The fallout from Champion’s death was immediate. On Tuesday, the school shuttered the famed marching band and the rest of the music department’s performances. The next day, longtime band director Julian White was fired. And Florida Gov. Rick Scott said state investigators would join the probe and the college announced an independent review led by a former state attorney general.
Tallahassee attorney Chuck Hobbs said White, a tenured professor, had tried for years to get administration backing on his efforts to stop hazing.
“Hazing within the Marching 100 has often been met with reckless indifference by White’s superior officers who often ignored his requests for assistance,” Hobbs wrote in a letter to Florida A&M President James Ammons.
The attorney said Champion’s family hopes a lawsuit against the school will help raise awareness about the issue of band hazing.
Hazing cases have cropped up in marching bands, especially at historically black colleges where a spot in the marching band is coveted. In many cases, the bands are revered almost as much as the sports teams for which they play.
In 2008, two first-year French horn players in Southern University’s marching band were hospitalized after a beating. In 2009, 20 members of Jackson State University’s band were suspended over hazing accusations.
There have been numerous incidents at FAMU. In 2001, Marcus Parker suffered kidney damage after being beaten by a paddle.
Three years earlier, Ivery Luckey, a clarinet player from Ocala, Fla., said he was paddled about 300 times, sending him to the hospital. Some 20 band members were suspended, and Luckey sued the state Board of Regents. Reports indicate he settled for $50,000.
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OhSnappage
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 1:18amTruly unfortunate, but why go after the school? (Other than they have finances).
Report Post »How can the school be at fault for every poor decision made by individuals on a campus?
davidlevi100
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 12:15pmFollow with me here logically, ohsnappage. Band members report to and are under the supervision of the Band Director and his staff. The Marching Band is under the control of the Music Department. That Department, of course, belongs to the University which is the responsibility of the University President. Everything that an organization on a College campus does, be it positive or negative, represents the school. It is the inherent responsibility of a University to provide a safe environment for all of it’s students and staff. The University, therefore, is ultimately culpable for Robert Champion’s death because it either failed to institute procedures to ensure that hazing was not happening, or failed to exercise due diligence when hazing allegations had been raised. The bottom line is, Robert Champion died because the environment within the Marching 100 allowed hazing. The culture within the Marching 100 made hazing the norm as opposed to a rare exception. Ask anyone who has marched in an HBCU Band, including me, and they will tell you the same. It must stop now, and it won’t until Universities and other organizations are forced to become reactive on this issue through monetary punishment. Once this happens often enough, these organizations will then become proactive and preventing hazing will become priority number one on all College campuses. Until it is no longer culturally acceptable within any organization, it will continue and more of our children will be hurt.
Report Post »Daveed
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:34amThe article was unclear about cause of death and it is under investigation. Premature to make any conjectures. At the age of 26 you would think a person would be mature enough not to participate in something he knew would be harmful.
Report Post »That said, My condolences goes to the family of this young man and his death is tragic. I will pray the family gets to the truth of the matter.
blaze2453
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:26amFrankly, they should suspend the college bands that do the hazing thing. Just like SMU when they got the “death penaly”, suspend all members of the band for 2 years.
Report Post »jeffrey7112
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 6:02amThe article is correct. Being a member of the FAMU field marching band must be very difficult to acheive, much desired, and an honor to hold. As such, those of you that find “putting up” with hazing, I can only imagine you’ve never been a member of anything elite. Is it silly? Most certainly. Stupid? Quite often. A Drum Major at FAMU was probably working on at least a Master’s Degree, perhaps a Doctorate in Music. At 26 it’s not so unusual. Who cares how old the man was anyway? Hazing is a way that humans act whenever someone from the outside tries to join our little group. I don‘t care if you’re talking about 7th graders getting into a fistfight before becoming best friends or talking garbage to the new poker player at the table. It is part of the test. Is the new person worthy to be in this company? There must be checks in place always to keep it from getting out of hand. If the school had been asked by the band director for help and didn’t get it, and that directory told the family it was his cause of death, suing is probably the smart thing to keep it from happening again. If it were my child, my filing a law suit would be the least of their worries.
Report Post »blaze2453
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:24amI have seen hazing first hand. It is stupid and childish and when stupid people do it people get hurt. It should never be tolerated with a college band because the individual paid to go to school. Getting in the band should be automatic. Playing in the band on the field of play can be selective. That is the award. No punishing someone just to get in. The problem is that there are too many stupid people out there. You cannot know who the person is doing the hazing all the time. The person could have a criminal mind. For this to be tolerated is inexcusable.
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:19amDepends on the type of hazing if there is sexual hazing it could cause a vagal down response and cause a heart attack or stroke. Hazing is not just beating.
Report Post »HippoNips
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 12:27amHUH? Three months to know what killed him?
Bullshat.
Vomitng , couldnt breathe……. Sounds like a stroke. . No hazing causes a stroke
Report Post »hogtrashhd
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 12:13ambaby that was the first thoughts in this familys’ mind.. sue sue sue sue sue.. they have no respect for life.. none..
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 8:51pm26 years old. TWENTY SIX YEARS OLD!!!! and he’s not smart enough to NOT do this???? 26yrs old. Exactly at what age ….arrrgghhhh. Enough. I’ll not type a tirade. Although it is rather perculiar that the family of this young man went to a lawyer before they even have him in the ground? Oh, yeah, and before the autopsy results.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 10:23amBrings a whole new meaning to the expression “sit on it and twirl awhile”.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 8:00pmDisgusting.
Report Post »Ft Lauderdale Dad
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 7:26pmAs a Miami Hurricane I have enjoyed A & M’s fantastic band many times over the years. We have spoken with their members…men & women…on many occaisions & they have always been exemplary in their behavior & demeanor. This is very sad & I wish the family, the school & the Marching 100 the absolute best.
This school’s band is unlike any other….i remember we counted the tubas….46 tubas. They completely fill the entire football field. When we play them…at halftime…nobody leaves their seats. At least nobody leaves until our UM band comes out.
Report Post »Greenmanilishi
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 7:18pmThey have not even buried their son yet and they are suing! The American way
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