Seven members of Indiana University’s Phi Kappa Psi fraternity have been charged with felony hazing,after an October event sent two pledges to the hospital.
Police records indicate that fraternity pledges were allegedly ordered to perform push-ups, leg lifts and squats for three hours and then to take an ice bath. One of the victims left for the hospital shortly after he was ordered to wear a diaper and urinate on command.
The ritual pushed at least two pledges to the point that their muscles began to disintegrate – a condition called Rhabdomyolysis, which can be fatal. One was admitted in critical condition.
One of the pledges told detectives he was ordered by chapter president Arjunkumar Patel to lie about his injuries and delete his text messages.
The IU Police Department said approximately 36 pledges attended the event but only two agreed to interviews with police.
Several members of the “New Member Committee” who were charged said they were assigned to oversee safety and denied that the ritual was mandatory or lasted any longer than 45 minutes. Police said video evidence of pledges limping in pain and interviews with fraternity leaders about attendance requirements suggest otherwise.
The fraternity members leading the event are each charged with two counts of hazing, a Level 6 felony punishable by up to two and a half years in prison: Joseph Moon, Noah Kucera, Kaptur Nowaczyk, Logan Conforti, Casey Clarke and Ryan Donohue. Patel faces the same counts plus an additional charge for obstruction of justice.
Phi Kappa Psi remains on cease and desist at IU. Vice Chancellor for Student Life Lamar Hylton said in a statement the allegations are “inconsistent with Indiana University’s values.”
