MORE HAZING CHARGES AT CHICO STATE

Dan McCarthy, Manley Burke

As reported in the January 2006 edition of Fraternal Law, Matthew Carrington died in February 2005 of water intoxication following a night of hazing at the unrecognized Chi Tau fraternity at Chico State.  Following this incident, California passed Senate Bill 1454, now known as Matt’s Law in honor of Mr. Carrington.  Matt’s Law makes hazing a felony when serious bodily injury is caused, or a misdemeanor when there are no injuries.

Three members of Beta Theta Pi’s chapter at Chico State were recently charged with misdemeanor hazing under Matt’s Law.  Mike Ramsey, the Butte County District Attorney, said the fraternity made its pledges do calisthenics and crawl through mud before being submerged to their necks in freezing water.

The three charged are president Christopher Bizot, vice president Michael Murphy and ritualist Matthew Krupp.  All are charged with misdemeanor hazing because there were no serious injuries; Bizot is also charged with interfering with the Police investigation.  Murphy and Krupp face up to one year in county jail and a $5,000 fine, while Bizot faces up to a $10,000 fine and a year and a half in jail.

According to the Chico Enterprise Record, an attorney for at least one of the defendants recently filed a demurrer and a motion to dismiss the case, claiming the complaint is insufficient and lacks detail.  This case is developing.  Look for more information in future issues of Fraternal Law.