
Several University of Alabama Students Arrested for August Hazing
At least four University of Alabama students have been arrested and charged criminally after they allegedly participated in hazing other students earlier this year.
According to depositions filed Wednesday afternoon, the hazing took place the first week of the fall semester at the Pi Kappa Phi house.

In one reported incident, on August 25th, pledges were brought to the house's band room for the "Rules Night" segment of pledge initiation.
The court documents say there is video footage showing "while on their hands and knees, pledges were yelled at, stepped on, pushed, had items thrown at them and had beer poured on them.:
Later that week, on August 28th, pledges were taken to the Pi Kappa Phi TB Room.
"Video [...] shows pledges being made to line up along one wall, perform calisthenics including wall sits and pushups and being yelled at by active members of the fraternity."
"During the 'line up,' two active members of the fraternity shoved and struck one of the pledges," according to investigators.
Alabama law criminalizes this kind of hazing under 16-1-23(c), which says it's illegal to do these things, but it also makes to witness hazing and fail to report it.
Court records show four students so far have been charged with two counts of criminal hazing each - they are 22-year-old Joshua Donald Ferrito, 20-year-old Charles William Grey, 22-year-old Christopher Theodore Molienaux and 20-year-old Grant Henry Rakers.
Each suspect is either accused of participating in or failing to report the hazing incidents at the Pi Kappa Phi house on August 25th and August 28th.
It is unclear if the four arrests filed Wednesday are the extent of the charges arising out of these alleged incidents - stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread for additional details as they become available.
UPDATE: A UA spokesperson has provided a statement condemning hazing and said the University of Alabama Police Department is conducting an ongoing investigation into the fraternity.
"The University of Alabama strictly prohibits hazing and thoroughly investigates allegations, including appropriate coordination with law enforcement and Greek chapter national organizations. An investigation into hazing violations reported at Pi Kappa Phi is ongoing and led to UAPD serving warrants against several members this week," she said. "Hazing violates University policy, the Code of Student Conduct, and the law, and it is a matter that the University takes seriously. The University recently updated its hazing policy to strengthen accountability and reporting requirements, and information about resolved hazing violation cases is published on the endhazing.sl.ua.edu website."
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