Fraternity Brothers Face Charges In Baruch Student’s Hazing Death

The charges come nearly two years after Chun “Michael” Deng, 19, died in a hazing ritual in which fraternity brothers tackled him repeatedly in the freezing December cold.

“It is regrettable that the DA and the Grand Jury made no distinction as to the individual culpability of each of the young man who was present”, Mo said, adding that 36 of the 37 students were “overcharged” in Deng’s death.

Five people and Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Inc. were charged with criminal homicide, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault, hindering apprehension, hazing and criminal conspiracy, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department said today.

A grand jury recommended that five of the fraternity brothers be charged with murder, while others will face charges such as assault and hindering apprehension, the New York Times reported. At one point he was shoved and fell over, hitting his head, police said. Deng later died from his injuries.

In later interviews, the story emerged that Deng was actually injured during a fraternity ritual. Deng suffered a serious head injury; he was not immediately taken to the hospital, a contributing factor in his death according to the medical examiner.

Police say Deng was blind-folded, weighted down with a 30-pound backpack and forced to run a gauntlet during what they say was a brutal fraternity ritual called “glass ceiling”.

Deng was carried inside and placed by a fire because his body was cold and wet from the conditions outside, police said.

A forensic pathologist determined he had suffered repeated trauma to the head, torso and thighs, and “the forces were significant and severe”, police said in a statement. Those interrogated had tried to hide any items or evidence that would link them to their fraternity after one of the members at the hospital with Deng called and warned them in advance, police chief Lewis said.

Authorities said the Pi Delta Psi members had traveled to a residence in the Pocono Mountains, roughly 90 miles away from New York, for the weekend. The national chapter severed its ties with the Baruch group, and revoked the memberships of its brothers for allegedly violating Pi Delta Psi’s values and anti-hazing policy.