Several University of Alabama students from the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity have been charged with two counts of hazing after a pledge reported being shoved, stepped on, and subjected to verbal abuse and physical mistreatment. The incidents allegedly occurred on August 25 and August 28, with video evidence capturing the hazing in the TV room and band room of the fraternity house.
The students charged include Christopher Theodore Molineaux, Grant Henry Rakers, Joshua Donald Ferrito, and Charles William Grey. Some of the accused students denied the charges, with Grey’s attorney stating that his client did not harm anyone and only failed to report the incidents. The families of Molineaux and Ferrito declined to comment.
The court documents allege that pledges were forced to their hands and knees, yelled at, stepped on, pushed, and had beer poured on them during the hazing incidents. The pledges were also made to perform forced calisthenics and were subjected to verbal abuse by fraternity members. Molineaux was accused of physically assaulting one of the pledges, while the other accused students were allegedly present during the incidents but failed to stop the hazing.
The University of Alabama stated that hazing is strictly prohibited and that an investigation led to the charges against the fraternity members. Pi Kappa Phi did not respond to a request for comment. The charges highlight the serious consequences of hazing on college campuses and the importance of reporting and preventing such incidents.
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