Hazing Charges Against 5 Dropped in Pledge's Death
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Hazing charges against five former members of a now-expelled Virginia Commonwealth University fraternity in connection with a freshmans death from alcohol poisoning after a party have been dropped.
Six of the 11 former Delta Chi members charged in the death of Adam Oakes, 19, have pleaded guilty or no contest, but a prosecutor in the case declined to say why the charges against the remaining five were dropped last week, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Both charges in these cases are misdemeanors and carry no more than a year in jail and a fine of $2,500. None of the six received jail time.
Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Mike Hollomon declined to comment on the dropped charges, citing the open case status of three other defendants.
Last year, 11 former members of the fraternity were charged with hazing and seven of them with serving alcohol to a minor. VCU suspended the students, a defense attorney said last year, and the university permanently removed the fraternity from campus.
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