Two more arrests have been made in connection with the death of a 20-year-old Southern University student who was repeatedly punched during an off-campus fraternity hazing ritual, Baton Rouge police announced.
Kyle Thurman, 25, and Isaiah Smith, 28, have been arrested and face charges of felony criminal hazing for their role in the death of Caleb Wilson, a mechanical engineering junior at the school who died in late February.
Last week, police arrested Caleb McCray, 23, who faces charges of criminal hazing and manslaughter. He allegedly punched Wilson four times before the pledge collapsed unresponsive and appeared to suffer a seizure, police say.
Smith was seen on surveillance video removing Wilson from his vehicle and bringing him to a hospital, according to a police arrest warrant affidavit reviewed by The Associated Press.
The group that brought Wilson at the hospital initially told medical staff that Wilson collapsed while playing basketball at a park and left the hospital before police arrived, Baton Rouge Police Department Chief Thomas Morse Jr. told reporters last week.
Wilson died as a “direct result” of the hazing, Morse Jr. said.
Smith held the title “Dean of Pledges” and was in charge of the ritual during the hazing, the affidavit states. He turned himself in on Tuesday, police say.
Smith’s lawyer, Franz Borghardt, said it is important to note that Smith is not accused of making physical contact with Wilson and that no one was aware of any underlying medical conditions he may have had.
“This was a freak accident; we’re not talking about force-feeding alcohol,” Borghardt said. “To be sure, everyone in that fraternity cares about Caleb. Our hearts go out to the Wilson family.”
Both Smith and Thurman participated in punching some of the nine pledges, but they are not described as hitting Wilson, according to police arrest warrant affidavits.
Smith’s father, Todd Smith, runs a flooring company where the hazing incident occurred, Borghardt said.
Todd Smith did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Thurman could not be reached for comment, and police and court officials were not able to provide information for his legal representation.
McCray’s lawyer, Phillip Robinson, said he is innocent and urged the public to withhold judgment.
In Louisiana, hazing can be a felony under the Max Gruver Act, which passed in 2018 and was named after a Louisiana State University student who died of alcohol poisoning after hazing at the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house.
Under the act, if a person being hazed dies or is seriously injured, violators face up to a $10,000 fine and five years in prison. Organizations, representatives and officers of an organization, and educational institutions can also face penalties.
The fraternity Wilson was pledging, Omega Psi Phi, could face civil penalties under the act. A fraternity spokesperson said it is cooperating with authorities.
The fraternity’s campus chapter has been ordered to cease activities and Greek life organizations have been barred from taking on new members for the remainder of the academic year, Southern University President Dennis Shields told reporters last week.
Hundreds of people turned out in early March for a vigil in honor of Wilson, a passionate trumpet player in the university’s famed band.
Topics Education