At colleges and universities throughout the country, hazing often serves as a means of initiating new members into fraternities, sororities, and other such student organizations.
Research indicates hazing remains fairly common. Consider the following statistics on hazing:
- Hazing can start earlier than expected. Nearly half of all incoming college students in a given year will have already experienced some form of hazing in high school. Research shows approximately 1.5 million high school students in the US experience hazing in some form every year.
- About 74% of student-athletes at US colleges and universities experience hazing in some manner during their college careers.
- About 55% of students who participate in organizations like fraternities and sororities experience some form of hazing in college.
Colleges and universities often penalize students accused of hazing rather strictly. Doing so serves two purposes:
- Protecting current students by discouraging future acts of hazing
- Indicating to prospective students (and their parents) that this isn't a campus where hazing is tolerated
Protecting students is certainly important. However, that means all students, including those facing hazing accusations.
Have you been accused of hazing at a Kentucky university or college? If so, lawyers familiar with the unique characteristics of university-level hazing investigations can offer the defense you need right now.
At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team serves students accused of hazing at universities and colleges throughout Kentucky. Find out more about what we can do for you today by calling us at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information through our online contact form.
What Qualifies as Hazing in Kentucky?
Kentucky's anti-hazing law defines hazing as “a direct action which substantially endangers the physical health of a minor or student for the purpose of recruitment, initiation into, affiliation with, or enhancing or maintaining membership or status within any organization.”
The law provides the following examples of hazing:
- Coercing or forcing a minor student to violate a law
- Coercing or forcing a minor student to consume any substance in a manner that jeopardizes their physical health
- Whipping, beating, and other such forms of physical brutality (including sexual brutality)
- Exposure to the elements
- Coercing or forcing a minor student to engage in any other activity with a reasonable likelihood of causing physical injury
The anti-hazing policies at any given Kentucky university might be based on the law. However, it's important to understand that colleges and universities can have their own anti-hazing policies that may be stricter than the legal statute.
For example, Kentucky's law only defines hazing as acts with the potential to cause physical harm. It doesn't apply to acts that may cause emotional or mental harm. However, a university's anti-hazing policies might be broader, including such acts as forms of hazing.
This brings up an important point that might be relevant to your case: There are instances when there may be some debate regarding whether a particular act qualifies as hazing under either Kentucky law or a Kentucky university's policies. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team may account for such factors when working on your defense strategy.
Common Forms of Hazing at Kentucky Colleges and Universities
Surveys of US college students indicate some forms of hazing are particularly common throughout the nation. According to surveys, the most common forms of hazing at colleges and universities in the US are:
- Drinking games
- Chanting or singing in public
- Consuming large quantities of alcohol
- Consuming large quantities of non-alcoholic beverages
- Being woken up in the middle of the night by other members of a student organization
- Being subject to verbal mistreatment by other members of a student organization
The type of hazing a student is accused of is one of many factors that could influence the consequences they may face. Those responsible for penalizing a student whom a college's investigators find responsible for hazing might consider the potential for an act of hazing to cause harm when deciding what an appropriate penalty would be.
Potential Consequences of Hazing Accusations
Don't ignore the issue if you learn you've been accused of hazing at a Kentucky university! Depending on the outcome of your case, the consequences of such accusations can profoundly impact your life for years to come.
Student organizations associated with acts of hazing often face repercussions for these acts. If a school's investigation determines a student organization engaged in hazing, that organization may lose the privilege to operate on campus, for example.
Individual students accused of hazing may also face consequences. Potential examples include:
- Probation
- Loss of scholarships
- Loss of the privilege to live on campus
- Suspension
- Expulsion
Such penalties can influence both a student's academic career and their future professional career. For example, maybe a university decides to expel a student accused of hazing.
That student won't be able to complete their degree at that college any longer. That could mean not completing their education at the school of their preference. They may also struggle to even find a college that will admit a student who was recently expelled from another college for hazing.
Even if a student does gain acceptance into another college, being expelled will create a gap in their education history. So will being suspended. They might have to explain that gap to potential future employers. An employer who learns a candidate got in trouble in college for hazing might not be inclined to hire them.
Your future is on the line if you've been accused of hazing at a Kentucky college or university. Fortunately, our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm has the experience necessary to protect your rights in these circumstances.
How a Kentucky University May Not Follow Due Process Rules During a Hazing Investigation
Hiring student defense attorneys when facing hazing accusations is smart for many reasons. One is the fact that a college's investigators and officials might not follow the same due process rules that law enforcement and prosecutors must follow in a criminal case.
The following are just some examples of how a college might not follow due process rules when investigating hazing allegations:
- Not giving a student enough time to work on a proper defense when notifying them of hazing accusations
- Not informing a student of their right to hire lawyers
- Penalizing a student without thoroughly satisfying the burden of proof
It's easy for a university's officials to take advantage of a frightened college student who might not thoroughly understand their rights. Attorneys with our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm will make sure that doesn't happen when you hire us to handle your case.
What Not to Do When Someone Accuses You of Hazing in Kentucky
It's easy to make mistakes as a college student accused of hazing. You likely never anticipated this type of experience when you began attending school. Knowing that the consequences could be significant, you might act without thinking, making errors that could negatively impact the future of your case.
Examples of what NOT to do when you're accused of hazing include:
- Attempting to confront your accuser
- Speaking with school officials or participating in interviews without a lawyer present
- Talking about the case socially
- Attempting to discuss the case with others who may have been accused with you
- Posting about the case on social media
Although this isn't a criminal case, in some ways, it's smart to think of it as one. If you were arrested, the smartest thing to do would be to remain silent and contact an attorney.
This is also a wise decision if you've been accused of hazing at a Kentucky university. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team is prepared to get to work on your case, ensuring you have the defense you need throughout this process. We'll also gladly answer your questions, ensuring you thoroughly understand what you should and should not do during an investigation.
We Defend Students Accused of Hazing Throughout Kentucky
Our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is prepared to represent students facing hazing accusations at such Kentucky colleges and universities as:
- University of Kentucky (Lexington)
- University of Louisville (Louisville)
- Berea College (Berea)
- Centre College (Danville)
- Murray State University (Murray)
- Bellarmine University (Louisville)
- Asbury University (Wilmore)
- Transylvania University (Lexington)
Those are merely a few examples! Regardless of where you attend school in Kentucky, if you're facing hazing accusations, our team is available to offer the defense you need right now.
Potential Defenses in Kentucky Hazing Cases
Personalizing our services is among our top values at the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. Our philosophy is that the best defense is one that's tailored to the specific details of an individual client's case.
That means there's no way to tell how we would defend you. Our attorneys need to learn about your case before deciding on the proper defense strategy.
That said, you may want to learn about some common defense strategies in these circumstances. These examples can help you better understand how lawyers may approach a case like yours.
Examples of basic defense strategies in cases involving students accused of hazing include:
- Citing lack of evidence: It's unreasonable for a university to penalize a student accused of hazing without first showing sufficient evidence to indicate the accusations are true. Lawyers may cite a lack of evidence or other weaknesses in the case against a student to help them avoid unfair consequences.
- Proving an alibi: A student may have an alibi in a case involving false accusations. Perhaps a student with a grudge falsely accused them of hazing. Or, maybe a student mistakenly identified them as someone involved in a hazing incident. Regardless, when a student has a valid alibi, their attorneys may help them establish it.
- A student wasn't a participant: Some students who may technically be present when hazing incidents occur might not be participants. They may only qualify as witnesses. Or, they might even qualify as victims themselves. Attorneys might consider this factor when working on a defense strategy.
- An act doesn't qualify as hazing: Remember, it's not always thoroughly obvious whether an act meets the criteria to qualify as hazing. Lawyers could argue that the behavior a student is accused of doesn't qualify as hazing under either the law or a university's anti-hazing policies.
- An act was staged: Some students may get in trouble when videos or images of them participating in apparent hazing incidents circulate on social media. However, there are instances when these videos and pictures actually depict staged acts of hazing. Lawyers can help show when an act of hazing isn't genuine.
Once more, there's no guarantee our attorneys with the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team will use any of these strategies when working on your case. What we can promise is that we'll strive to identify the strategy best suited to your needs.
Negotiating a Deal in a Kentucky University Hazing Case
Negotiating with university officials is another potential option lawyers may consider when defending a student accused of hazing. This involves citing any relevant mitigating factors, such as a student's otherwise spotless disciplinary history, to argue why the penalties they face should be relatively lenient. The process is similar to negotiating a plea bargain or deal in a criminal case.
Attempting to negotiate with university officials yourself could backfire. You may end up accidentally admitting to more than you should when explaining why you shouldn't face serious trouble for your alleged actions. At the Lento Law Firm, members of our Student Defense Team can handle all negotiations on your behalf, presenting a strong argument to those involved in deciding the outcome of your case.
Kentucky Student Defense Attorneys Can Help When You're Accused of Hazing
Facing hazing accusations is a frightening experience for any student. Luckily, this isn't an experience you have to face alone.
Our lawyers with the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team understand the unique ways hazing investigations proceed when universities and colleges handle them. We'll ensure you have a fair defense throughout all stages of your case. Learn more by contacting us through our online information form or by calling us today at 888-535-3686.
