indictments issue in ut σαε hazing death

In a story much-reported across the nation, last year a University of Texas pledge Tyler Cross died after falling from a fifth-floor balcony with a BAC of 0.19. Although ruled an accident, the fatal fall followed an evening of what transpired to be hard-core hazing by Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Brothers were found to have used cattle prods and hot irons on pledges, who were instructed afterwards not to attend class to avoid revealing evidence of the abuse. On the night preceding the death, Cross was among those ordered to drink large quantities of liquor. A year later, four indictments have been issued against ΣΑΕs, including the president, vice president and pledgemaster, charging hazing and underage drinking violations. The Houston Statesman reports that “a fourth former member of the fraternity was charged with failure to report hazing, also marking the first time the office has pursued that charge.“ About time.