A Bowie State University student is suing Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. According to a lawsuit by Kevin Hayes, he was hazed while pledging the historically African-American frat and is seeking $3 million in damages.
Reports CBS Baltimore:
A 17-page lawsuit details how the student—a junior at Bowie State—says he was punched and paddled by other fraternity members.
Photos show the injuries 20-year-old Kevin Hayes says he sustained while pledging Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Bowie State University.
“It broke me down. It’s something I never felt before,” he said.
He says his punishers were other fraternity members.
“Something must happen so no one else has to deal with these issues,” Hayes said.
In the lawsuit, Hayes says nights of pledging could last five to eight hours, where he was “punched, hit and slapped.”
“They have a duty under Maryland law to make him safe,” said Jimmy Bell, his attorney.
Hazing is not tolerated by the national organization of Alpha Phi Alpha, which is headquartered in Baltimore.
A statement on the organization’s official website reads, “Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. strictly prohibits hazing in any form whether physical or mental as a term or condition of membership in the organization. Hazing is illegal and a crime in most jurisdictions. Aspirants to the organization should participate only in the sanctioned membership process of the Fraternity. Aspirants must not agree to submit to hazing in order to obtain Fraternity membership.”
Besides hazing, filing a lawsuit is certainly not the best way to get into a fraternity. That should go without saying.
The incident allegedly went down off campus starting in September 2013 until November of the same year.
According to the lawsuit, Hayes and other pledges were give “jewel shockers,” “back racks,” and “fat joes,” and beaten with paddles.
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Photo: CBS Baltimore
