News & Politics - Frat brothers scrawled slurs on dying pledge

mh67511 · 10-09-2004, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Frat brothers scrawled slurs on dying pledge
The family of Gordie Bailey, a CU student who died of alcohol poisoning, is considering legal action.

By Amy Herdy and George Merritt
Denver Post Staff Writers

Friday, October 08, 2004 -

As the whiskey and wine he drank during a fraternity initiation began to kill Gordie Bailey, some of his fraternity brothers wrote racial, misogynist and sexual vulgarities all over his body as he lay passed out in the Chi Psi library.

On the morning of Sept. 17, when it became apparent that the 18-year-old was not breathing, someone tried to wipe off the slurs written on his face. The University of Colorado at Boulder freshman was soon pronounced dead, and at the coroner's office, more markings were found on his arms, legs and body.

The phrases, which Bailey's father said he learned from the coroner, included "It sucks to be you," "Penis ankle" (written on his ankle) and "(Expletive) me." There were also drawings of male genitalia.

"Bitch" was written on the fingers of his right hand. Other phrases included an offensive six-letter racial slur.

"This reinforces the nearly unbearable pain of the whole thing," said Lynn Gordon Bailey Sr., 68, Bailey's father. "Was he dying while they were writing that?"

Local fraternity members declined to comment. Boulder police said the case remains under investigation.

Gordie Bailey's parents, who are divorced and each remarried, shared the responsibility of raising him and now are united in their desire to see reforms instituted after his death.

"This is not about binge drinking; it's about hazing at fraternities," said Michael Lanahan, 58, Gordie Bailey's stepfather. "How lucky is Chi Psi that 26 pledges survived?"

Donald Beeson, risk-management administrator for Chi Psi national, said Thursday that he had heard only that there were drawings on Bailey's face, not elsewhere on his body.

"No parent should have to deal with losing a son to a senseless accident like this," he said, adding that he understood why Lanahan would be upset over the "degrading and demeaning" comments.

On the evening of Sept. 16, Gordie Bailey and 26 other Chi Psi pledges were blindfolded and left in the woods near Gold Hill. They were told to drink vast amounts of Ten High whiskey and Carlo Rossi wine, according to police.

By the time the pledges were driven back to the Boulder fraternity house, police said, Bailey was "sick and visibly intoxicated."

By 11 p.m., fraternity members carried him to a couch and gave him a metal bucket.

Since he was passed out with his shoes on, tradition called for other fraternity members to draw on Bailey with a felt-tipped marker.

About 1 a.m., a pledge saw two fraternity members writing all over his body, according to the search warrant. Bailey never woke up during the process. The pledge "repeatedly told the members to stop writing on (Bailey). The members got angry with (the pledge) for telling them to stop."

Finally, the pledge asked another fraternity member for help, and the writing ceased.

Shortly before 9 a.m., Bailey was found face down on the floor next to the couch and could not be revived. An autopsy shows that he died from alcohol poisoning with a blood-alcohol level of 0.328 percent.

Lynn Bailey, his father, said the coroner told him that there was no sign of asphyxiation and that the alcohol had created a massive depressant that shut down his son's central nervous system.

Since that night, several fraternity members have refused to talk to police, and many have hired lawyers.

So has Gordie Bailey's family, who called the writing on the teenager "appalling" and says it depicts the fraternity members' irresponsible mind-set.

"To do something like that exposes those young men for what they are - thoughtless and perverse," said attorney David Berg of Berg & Androphy, a Houston-based firm.

The family has not yet decided whom to name in their suit, Berg said, but are considering the fraternity, the individuals involved and the university.

"We still don't see leadership from the university," said Lanahan, Bailey's stepfather. "They have not proposed any change in the system - but the system is killing our kids."

Officials at CU have been meeting with Greek officials since Bailey's death, and they have pledged to combat a culture of drinking. Meanwhile, Chi Psi's charter at CU has been revoked, although officials haven't ruled out its return.

"We ... are continuing to work with the fraternity and sorority leaders to assess all aspects of Greek life, including the role of alcohol in social activities," CU spokeswoman Pauline Hale said in a release Wednesday.

Beeson said Wednesday that the fraternity's investigation determined that the drinking trip to the woods was not an initiation ritual, as police have called it. Beeson said it was an "initial function" for the pledges.

Lanahan said he hopes the fraternity will release the results of its investigation into his son's death. So far, Chi Psi has said it will not release the records.

"If these things remain secret," Lanahan said, "then Gordie's death meant nothing at all."

I hope those frat members burn for this. That is so sick I can't even believe it. Greeks are such a joke, it's pathetic.

*Lauren · 10-10-2004, 12:23 AM

Childish and pathetic? Yes. But I don't know if I can say they knew he was dying when they did this. Its not that easy to tell if a person has alchol poisining. God, I got smashed a couple of weeks ago, after drinking a LOT, and they just put me to bed. No-one usually thinks to take someone to hospital unless they're throwing up and really sick. If they're just lying thee? Then most people just think they've passed out.

Cail · 10-10-2004, 05:29 AM

Whether they knew he was dying or not, this makes me so

mad. I hate fraternities and sororities and all the hazing that is involved to become a member. Especially since the hazing revolves around having the pledges drink alcohol beyond belief and/or humiliating them.

A person who is passed out is still a cause for alarm. It's not like the guy was moving or snoring to show he was trying to sleep it off. He was in the same exact position as they left him.

pacifierrocks · 10-11-2004, 05:43 AM

I'm not saying that the frat isn't partly at fault here but i don't think they knew. its hard to tell whether someone is just sleeping it off or not. if one of my friends got that way i'd probably just make sure they're laying on their side and put a trash can beside them.

mh67511 · 10-11-2004, 12:08 PM

Now I'm no lawyer, but he was 18 years old. You cannot legally buy or drink alcohol if you are under 21. Therefore the liquor store who sold him the alcohol OR those who provided him the alcohol (which I assume are the memebers in the frat) ARE somehow/somewhate liable I believe. It might be state by state though, but I think they could argue, had he not been given/been able to buy alcohol then he would not have drank, and therefore would not have died. Obviously it's not murder, but the fact is they provided him with alcohol and pressure him to drink massive amounts of it. You DON'T die from drinking just a few beers.

But the fact is his BAC must have been VERY high to die from it; I think I read it was .35 somewhere. I am interested in knowing exactly how much he drank. I have a card that says a 170 lb male must drink 15 standard drinks in one hour to get to a .33 or over the course of 5 hours to get to .25. I once had 8 beers and 5 jello shots in one night and was puking all next day; I don't think I could ever get to the point where I would even pass out.

Now I understand they might not think anything was wrong with him, but it amazes how LITTLE people actually know about alcohol. I just don't see how you can pump someone full of alcohol to the point that they pass out. And not passed out as in "I'm wasted I'm gonna crash" passed out as in [i]passed out, uncoincious[i]. I honestly think there are people that believe you can't die from it. I've learned so much about it from my healthy lifestyles class I am in.

Katis · 10-11-2004, 01:32 PM

There is definitely a difference between "passed out, crashing, sleeping it off" and "passed out unconcious needs medical attention". If these guys were too stupid and careless to try and determine the difference they shouldn't have been drinking in the first place. Either way they deserve to be punished.

Milt Palacio · 10-11-2004, 02:59 PM

They should all be expelled from school and prosecuted.

Goonieforever · 10-12-2004, 12:58 AM

This makes me sick, honestly when you are writing on someone and they are too passed out to notice and/or wake up then someone should be watching over this person. It is irresponisble and I don't think their excuses are valid.
Just my opinion.

*Lauren · 10-12-2004, 10:11 AM

I'll give you an example. A couple of weeks ago I was at away and one of the nights I drank a 700mL bottle of vodka (soooo stupid) while playing drinking games. When the boys (I was in a men's side) decided to go out, they knew there was no way I'd be able to get in a club, so they walked me downstairs and put me to bed, where I promptly passed out on the bed. Should they have called an ambulance? I wouldn't have, I'd have just put them on their side and checked on them when we got home.

That's not being stupid, its just sometimes young people can't tell when someone has drunk that much they're dying. All of us have what are called RSAs (Responsible Service of Alchaol) and know a drunk person when we see one.

Just an honest question, but how many people here are over 21 (or your country's limit) or drinkers?

Milt Palacio · 10-12-2004, 05:00 PM

I am over 21 and I drink. There is a reasonable limit to where someone can be very drunk and another when they are in danger of dying. I am assuming that this frat had this guy drink to the point of endangering himself.

Goonieforever · 10-12-2004, 05:42 PM

I am over 21 and I don't drink but I don't have a problem with people drinking. I have tons of friends who enojy getting drunk and I have no problem hanging out with them while they are doing so. I just think it is irresponsible to require and/or request someone to drink as part of activity that you are planning and then not have the courtesy to keep an eye on them.
Once again that is just my opinion.

bluskadu · 10-14-2004, 02:16 AM

in newzeland its 18 years and im nearly 20. i drank when i was under the age limit but now i dont at all and i dont want to again.

it sucks that the kid died and im sorry for his family but i think people need to take responsibilty for themselves too.


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