Four Cal Poly frat members charged in hazing death
The Mustang Daily Staff; The Mustang, Cal Poly
Issue date: 5/28/09 Section: National College News
Starkey came to Cal Poly as a freshman from Austin, Texas, in September 2008 and began the pledge process to SAE in October. The death occurred during the fraternity's "Big Bro Week," where pledges, or "Little Brothers," are paired with active members, or "Big Brothers." Ibrahim was designated as Starkey's Big Brother.
The investigation revealed that the night of Dec. 1 was "Brown Bag Night," an annual pledge event where Big Brothers provided each pledge with a brown bag containing large quantities of alcohol. Ibrahim, Taylor and Marszal allegedly selected and purchased the alcohol from two stores in San Luis Obispo.
Ellis was SAE's designated Pledge Educator, a membership position that helps leads pledging recruits through their pledging process. On the night before Starkey's death, Ellis reportedly instructed the group of 17 pledges - all of whom were under 21 - to consume the full contents of their bag within an hour and a half. In addition to the contents of the bags, pledges were also given a bottle of 151 proof Everclear, which has roughly twice the alcohol content of normal liquor.
The investigation found that at some point in the night, Starkey became unresponsive, at which point several SAE members placed him in a vehicle in an apparent attempt to take him to the hospital, removing his pledge pin to prevent him from being associated with the fraternity. The SAE members reportedly returned Starkey to the house, however, once he began vomiting inside the vehicle.
The SAE members allegedly carried Starkey to bed and checked on him until approximately 2 a.m. After he was found unresponsive a few hours later, an SAE member called 911 and began performing CPR. He was taken via ambulance to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Cal Poly president Warren Baker also released a statement Thursday, restating the university's zero tolerance policy towards hazing.?"The university has investigated more than a dozen students who may have been involved in this tragic event," Baker said.
"As a result of those investigations and as an outcome of the campus disciplinary process, nine students have either permanently withdrawn from Cal Poly or been suspended for at least one academic year. Our investigations into other students who may have been involved are continuing."
The charter of the San Luis Obispo chapter of SAE remains suspended indefinitely.
-Marlize van Romburgh and Giana Magnoli contributed to this report.
The investigation revealed that the night of Dec. 1 was "Brown Bag Night," an annual pledge event where Big Brothers provided each pledge with a brown bag containing large quantities of alcohol. Ibrahim, Taylor and Marszal allegedly selected and purchased the alcohol from two stores in San Luis Obispo.
Ellis was SAE's designated Pledge Educator, a membership position that helps leads pledging recruits through their pledging process. On the night before Starkey's death, Ellis reportedly instructed the group of 17 pledges - all of whom were under 21 - to consume the full contents of their bag within an hour and a half. In addition to the contents of the bags, pledges were also given a bottle of 151 proof Everclear, which has roughly twice the alcohol content of normal liquor.
The investigation found that at some point in the night, Starkey became unresponsive, at which point several SAE members placed him in a vehicle in an apparent attempt to take him to the hospital, removing his pledge pin to prevent him from being associated with the fraternity. The SAE members reportedly returned Starkey to the house, however, once he began vomiting inside the vehicle.
The SAE members allegedly carried Starkey to bed and checked on him until approximately 2 a.m. After he was found unresponsive a few hours later, an SAE member called 911 and began performing CPR. He was taken via ambulance to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Cal Poly president Warren Baker also released a statement Thursday, restating the university's zero tolerance policy towards hazing.?"The university has investigated more than a dozen students who may have been involved in this tragic event," Baker said.
"As a result of those investigations and as an outcome of the campus disciplinary process, nine students have either permanently withdrawn from Cal Poly or been suspended for at least one academic year. Our investigations into other students who may have been involved are continuing."
The charter of the San Luis Obispo chapter of SAE remains suspended indefinitely.
-Marlize van Romburgh and Giana Magnoli contributed to this report.
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