Two FAMU Kappa Fraternity Members Convicted of Felony Hazing
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
Two Florida fraternity brothers have been convicted of felony hazing in a trial seen as a test of a new law restricting the practice, but jurors were unable to reach a verdict on three other defendants (see Diverse, Nov. 30).
The five Kappa Alpha Psi brothers at Florida A&M University, the first people charged under the anti-hazing law, were accused of punching pledge Marcus Jones and beating his buttocks with canes during an initiation, or aiding those who did.
Jurors found former chapter president Michael Morton and frat brother Jason Harris guilty of breaking a law that makes it a felony to cause “serious bodily injury” through hazing. Judge Kathleen L. Dekker of the 2nd Circuit Court declared a mistrial in the cases of three others: Brian Bowman, Cory Gray and Marcus Hughes.
A mistrial was declared in October when the five were first tried and a jury couldn’t reach a verdict.
Morton was accused of striking Jones on the buttocks, while Harris was accused of facilitating the hazing. The other three defendants were accused of hitting Jones with canes.
