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Six arrested in Southern University band hazing
Published Wednesday, December 3, 2008
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Six men, including a Natchez native, face charges linked to an alleged hazing incident that has hospitalized at least two members of Southern University’s band.
Harvey Harrison, of Augusta, Ga., and Carlos-Andres Carter, of Stone Mountain, Ga., both 19, were arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated second-degree battery and ritualistic acts, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office said. Both men remained in the East Baton Rouge Parish jail with bond set at $15,000, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Kellie Engels. Neither had attorneys listed.
Four more suspects were arrested late Tuesday on the same charges, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities identified them as Jeremy Dixon, 22, of Natchez, Joseph L. Webb, 21, of Columbus, Ga., Lagarian Bridgewater, 22, of Baton Rouge and Aubrey Harris Jr., 20, of Canton, Miss. Bond information was not immediately available.
According to a probable cause report released by the sheriff’s office, three members of the band were beaten last Thursday with a two-by-four wooden board as part of an initiation into the band’s French horn section. Two of the victims have since been hospitalized and are in serious condition in the intensive care unit at a Baton Rouge hospital. Their names have not been released. The third person withdrew from the alleged initiation, sheriff’s deputies said. Engels did not know whether he was injured.
According to a witness, ‘‘the three subjects were blindfolded and told to remove their shirts,’’ as part of the alleged initiation ritual, the report said.
‘‘They then had water splashed on them as senior members of the organization struck them numerous times with open hands. The three victims were then told to bend over at the waist, and the senior members began striking them numerous times with a large wooden board, commonly referred to as a two-by-four. One victim elected to stop the ritual after he had been struck over 50 times with the board,’’ the report said.
In a statement to sheriff’s investigators, the witness identified seven members of the band’s French horn section as being present and participating in the ritual.
The alleged incident happened at a home on McClure Road in East Baton Rouge Parish as part of a hazing ritual to be ‘‘initiated into an unofficial fraternity known as ’Mellow Phi Fellow’ for the French horn section of the band,’’ the probable cause report said.
The band took part in Saturday’s annual Bayou Classic football game in New Orleans, featuring Southern University and Grambling State. Grambling defeated Southern, 29-14.
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Information from: WAFB-TV, http://wafb.com
Comments
Posted by GodsChild (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 3:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Kids, you all got to know the limits!!!!!
Use your heads.....
This does not look good for you nor the University.
I pray these victims have a speedy and healthy recovery.
I hope you all haven't ruin your futures.
Posted by Yeahuhuh (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Now that's some TOUGH French Horn players there. When I was in school French Horns were sissy instruments.
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Awesome, band hazing. I never knew band people hazed each other, thats actually funny.
Posted by natchezrepublican (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 5:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Come on people!!! We got to be ready for next years BET classic!!! Drumline time!!!
Posted by sideline (anonymous) on December 10, 2008 at 10:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The alleged incident happened at a home on McClure Road in East Baton Rouge Parish as part of a hazing ritual to be ‘‘initiated into an unofficial fraternity known as ’Mellow Phi Fellow’ for the French horn section of the band,’’ the probable cause report said.
Read this one more time. This so called fraternity is not even a reality. Tell me how can it be hazing. One should get a smart lawyer and challenge this. I'm in a fraternity and there is no so called ritual of the sorts.
Posted by phatdiva76 (anonymous) on December 11, 2008 at 9:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is sooo terrible. I used to be in a band in high school and the French horn was not popular at all. It wasn't an instrument anyone really choose to play but, mostly appointed(forced) to play.
Posted by Christian (anonymous) on December 12, 2008 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am a Mom, who had boy's in a university band. My oldest was being hazed, but not to this extent. You all may think that it is all fun and games, but you have to realize these are somebody's children. As for Jeremy, you knew better. I know your parents and they did not whip your butt like that. I pray that God be in the mist of those boys recovery. Jeremy there is a lesson in this for you. That is get your education and come to the real world.
Posted by charliebug5865 (anonymous) on December 13, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Soooo SAD, they think that being part of this type of thing is a part of their education!!!! Well , GROW UP, you oughta be ashamed of yourselves for putting other students lives in danger, I am w/ tigermom, your all pathetic, you have been given the chance many young people only DREAM about, you throw it away, for what, are you all insane? These kids are just like you, think about it, you could be in the hospitol, too!! I too will pray for a speedy recovery for these young men.
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on December 13, 2008 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This hazing crap has been a growing problem that has really spiked in the past couple of years. The big problem is that it seems to be so widely accepted as being so "normal" amongst the high school and college students that they see nothing wrong in it. This has become a very big social crisis in the high school and college extra-curricular activitiy organizations that need tremendous professional intervention of some sort (in a very positive way). This problem is not unique and isolated to the Southern University Band French Horn Section. It is a very big problem in many, many schools and universities...band members as well as athletic team members. Anyone who has communications with teens and college students can find out that this is a very common problem.
Posted by mrsmurray2b (anonymous) on December 13, 2008 at 8:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ROTFLMAO! HAHAHA! That is hilarious, stupid, but hilarious. First of all if it's not an actual fraternity wht would you even think about putting yourself through any kind of torture or drama. Second they should know better than to do that and think they are going to get away with it and I'm pretty sure it didn't happen to them when they were "pledging." Use your heads guys.
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on December 13, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This activity is really stupid. It's a bunch of dudes beating on each other, creating pain. It's just so stupid and juvenile.
Posted by fay2ntz (anonymous) on December 14, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am not at all condoning this behavior but find it odd that after over a week this article is still posted for comments. Jeremy is not the only child from Natchez involved Lagarian is also from Natchez. As for "Christian", obviously you do not know his parents otherwise you would know just what type of people they really are and how he has basically raised himself. Then yes, they didn't whip him like so because they weren't around. So, with that said please say only things pertaining to what has happened and pray for all parties involved. Yes there is a lesson FOR ALL involved from the victims, to the suspects, to the parents, and the list goes on.
Posted by humorme (anonymous) on December 15, 2008 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You go to a tough school when the French Horn players get beat by 2X4's to join band. Southern U's band can kick your bands butt! Hate to see what they do to precussion.
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