Grand Jury Indicts 11 Fraternity Brothers
Sealed Indictment Also Issued Against One Other Person
POSTED: 6:24 p.m. EDT June 13, 2003
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- A grand jury handed up indictments Thursday in the hazing death of Plattsburgh State University freshman Dean Jennings (pictured, left).
Included in the indictments were 11 members of the Psi Epsilon Chi fraternity, plus one sealed indictment against someone else. The district attorney won't say who that is -- only that he expects that person to be arrested within the next couple of days.
Among the unsealed indictments, six members of the fraternity face the most serious charge issued by the grand jury -- criminally negligent homicide. But all 11 were charged with at least first-degree hazing. District Attorney Rich Cantwell said they all would go to trial together.
"I think the grand jury did a very thorough investigation. They've heard the evidence and responded to whatever was presented and they used their own common sense," Cantwell said.
Police said Jennings died on March 12 after his fraternity brothers allegedly forced him to drink pitcher after pitcher of water -- until he threw up -- for 10 days in a row.
The fraternity brothers are expected to be arraigned on the new charges sometime next week.
Andrew Wylie, who represents two of the brothers charged with criminally negligent homicide, said he plans to take the case to trial.
Meanwhile, the Psi Epsilon Chi fraternity house -- where police said the hazing happened -- has been sold.
Whitbeck Realtors said it still has to close the deal on the Broad Street house near the Plattsburgh State campus, so they won't say who the buyer is until that happens.
The fraternity corporation that owns the house put it up for sale after Jennings' death.
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