Texas Fraternity Ordered to Pay $16.2 Million to Parents of Dead Pledge

[Knights09]

<p>The fraternity is appealing, saying they didn’t know anything was filed and thus weren’t there to plead their case or whatever.</p>

<p>From the Houston Chronicle:
[Fraternity</a> seeks to overturn judgment | AP Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle](<a href=“http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6077025.html]Fraternity”>http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6077025.html)</p>

<p>

AUSTIN — A fraternity slapped with a $16.2 million judgment this week for a fatal alcohol-related hazing incident involving a University of Texas freshman said Friday that an administrative error prevented them from responding to a legal complaint.</p>

<p>The national and university chapters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity must each pay the parents of Marietta, Ga., native Tyler Cross $2.5 million for mental anguish and nearly $81,000 for funeral expenses and other costs, according to the court decision Wednesday.</p>

<p>State District Judge John Dietz issued the order after the national and local branches of the organization failed to respond to a lawsuit by the parents, their attorney Robby Alden said.</p>

<p>The national and local branch can seek a new trial if attorneys can explain why they did not respond to the suit and can present a defense to the allegations.</p>

<p>On Friday, a statement issued by the national fraternity on its Web site said that Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s attorney will file a motion to set aside the default judgment.</p>

<p>“The organization is hopeful, based on the facts, that the court will act as requested and that it will have an opportunity to answer as it already has for the individuals and others named in the lawsuit,” the statement said.</p>

<p>Cross fell from the fifth floor of his off-campus dormitory in November 2006. Investigators said he and other pledges were given half-gallon liquor bottles to drink. An autopsy report showed Cross had a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit of .08.</p>

<p>Cross’s parents have said that they don’t want the fraternity’s chapter to close. They simply want the organization’s leadership to meet with them to resolve their claims in a way that allows the chapter to continue without hazing.</p>

<p>They want to make sure that no other young man dies “a senseless death” as the result of physical hazing, Alden said.

</p>

<p>From the SAE website:
[Sigma</a> Alpha Epsilon - News from HQ](<a href=“http://www.sae.net/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=299&srcid=329]Sigma”>http://www.sae.net/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=299&srcid=329)</p>

<p>

EVANSTON, IL – The national headquarters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has learned of the $16.2 judgement in Texas regarding the death of Tyler Cross. The national organization believes there was an administrative error in answering this complaint. No record of the organization filing an appearance was available to the court. The result was a default judgment without the opportunity to defend. A motion to vacate this default judgment has been or will be made shortly by Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s defense counsel. The organization is hopeful, based on the facts, that the court will act as requested and that it will have an opportunity to answer as it already has for the individuals and others named in the lawsuit.

</p>