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My sister recently asked for my help in writing a blog entry for her law firms new Law Blog. Her blog entry is based on a case she recently took to trial centered around The University of Texas, the deadly impact of fraternity hazing and a young man's death. The reason I am posting the blog entry is out of my compassion for the young man's family and in the hopes that we can all come together and help educate young people on the dangers of hazing and binge drinking. The blog entry is below:
The Houston family of a University of Texas freshman who died from acute alcohol poisoning after a fraternity initiation party has settled their civil case for $4.2 million dollars. Represented by Chelsie King Garza, Esq of the Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels & Friend the Phoummarath family sought to gain insight to their son’s death and bring about national recognition of the dangers of fraternity hazing.
In 2005 while attending the University of Texas, one of the most prestigious universities in the country, Jack Phoummarath found himself in the midst of Hell Weekend followed by a week of continued Fraternity sponsored initiations and hazing. Surrounded by his fellow pledges, a young man who had only spent 10 weeks at college succumbed to the pressures of his screaming fraternity brothers and consumed more than 1 liter of Bacardi Rum. Once leaving the Fraternity House Jack found himself outside where he was pressured to continue his drinking binge as he and his fellow pledges consumed up to 8 bottles of hard liquor. After falling unconscious Jack was dragged to the second floor of the fraternity house by members of the Lambda Phi Epsilon who then proceeded to mark Jack’s face, teeth, hands, the front and back of his body, legs and feet with permanent marker. Jack was then left to die.
An endowment has been established by the Phoummarath family with the settlement proceeds to provide a full scholarship to one student every four years who agrees to participate in an alcohol awareness program and then teach fellow students about the dangers of alcohol consumption. The Phoummarath family hopes this endowment will not only honor their late son, Jack, but also help to spare other families the pain of losing a child to peer pressure.
The family has also funded an educational video which focuses on the dangers of hazing, binge drinking and peer pressure. The video also highlights the Phoummarath’s desire for stronger leadership and community activism in the Greek System. Recently the video was distributed to major universities on a national scale. The video can be downloaded at www.inmemoryofjack.com.
The efforts by the Phoummarath family have resulted in bringing a national spotlight to the dangers of Fraternity hazing as well as a call to action for all parents and a need to discuss the deadly costs of binge drinking on college campuses. In recognition of Clay Warren’s death from Fraternity hazing and the efforts of the Phoummarath family, the State of Texas has brought about a new law requiring colleges to implement risk management programs for social organizations which goes into effect September first.
As students of The University of Texas, the members of Lambda Phi Epsilon are recognized as some of the brightest young men in the country. Jack trusted these young men with his life as all pledges of Fraternities do. As a result Jack suffered fatal alcohol poisoning and was left for dead at the hands of the men he trusted.
www.abrahamwatkins.com
www.stophazing.org
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