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Hazing victim’s parents not interested in FAMU’s $300K offer, lawyer says
Florida A&M University has offered $300,000 - the maximum it says it can offer without state legislative action - as a settlement to the family of Robert Champion Jr., the drum major who died after a hazing ritual last year, a university attorney said Thursday.
But the family’s attorney, Chris Chestnut, said that the offer is an insult, and that the family will not consider it.
The offer, filed in Florida circuit court, aims to settle a lawsuit that Champion’s family filed against the school’s board of trustees in July.
“FAMU has offered the Champions the absolute maximum amount allowable by law,” FAMU attorney Richard Mitchell said. “Anything more would require a special act approved by the state legislature.
“It is our hope that this settlement will be accepted and can in some way help in the healing process for the Champion family and the entire FAMU community.”
Champion, 26, died in November 2011 following being beaten on a bus in Orlando, Florida, after a football game at which the school's famed marching band performed.
The hazing was part of a ritual known as crossing the bus, an initiation process in which pledges attempt to run down the center aisle from the front door of the bus to the back while being punched, kicked and assaulted by senior members, band members have said.
A medical examiner's office ruled his death a homicide and said Champion "collapsed and died within an hour of a hazing incident during which he suffered multiple blunt trauma blows to his body." An autopsy found "extensive contusions of his chest, arms, shoulder and back" as well as "evidence of crushing areas of subcutaneous fat."
Fourteen people have been charged criminal hazing in the case. One of them, a student, pleaded no contest and was sentenced last month to six months of community control (requiring he document his comings and goings, and request permission for any trips), two years of supervised probation and 200 hours of community service.
In addition to suing FAMU’s board of trustees, it has sued the company that owns the bus in which the abuse occurred, and the driver of the bus.
In September, FAMU responded to the lawsuit by filing court documents saying that the institution was not responsible for Champion’s death. The school asserted Champion broke the law and school policies when he willingly took part in the hazing that left him dead.
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No amount of money will bring him back. What is the family trying to prove? Maybe they could accept the money and start a scholorship fund in his name to help others.
I expect the lawsuit they filed is for alot more than 300k. They have a pretty good case so I cannot see any reason to settle.
That school and the state needs to be sued out of the ass, including many fraternities and sororities. Perhaps this will now put such behavior under major scrutiny instead of a silence band-aid.!
Maybe if you were the parents of a boy beaten to death you would understand that they are not out to prove anything.
I agree with the previous post. No amount of money will bring thier son back. Take the money offered and start a foundation or scholarship fund in his name.
In an injury claim settlement all bills and the lawyer gets paid from.... no taxes are levied on said claim it is tax free
Do you believe agreeing to go He is agreeing to die be killed!!!!They were on a (college )bus with a (college )employee anything that happens on that bus they college) r responsible. Probation!!for killing a man is the insult.The bus driver is a essary to murder.He didn't do anything to stop it!!!!kids 10yrs old get charged like an adult.All were willing to kill.
This type of negotiation is normally handled a lot more discretely. The school is offering $300 K which is all they can offer without the legislature approving more. Period. They can't offer in good faith what they don't have. The Champion's attorney knows this perfectly well and is grandstanding with all this "insult" stuff and the media is letting itself be used as his megaphone. The only thing that can happen for the school to have more is if the Legislature gives them more. But hey, at least they can go to the Legislature. If this was an insurance policy with a $300K limit than $300K would be it.
You repeated everything that was already said in the article.
He agreed to go not to die.
$300k? ROFL, how about $300mil
The money is not the issue,that comes later the charges r my voice and then close the school a man is dead!!! Never to return it is a great injustice!!!Pay up!Reckless!!! we r tired of sending our children to college and coming back in a bodybag.Your school is responsible.Fumu!stop talking about money.
How about how much is your child worth!!!Close the school how much is that worth?Never to return!!!
Im sad for the families every year i hear this happening 2013 rules need to be put in place that it is Not okay!! We r sending our children to get a education not to be killed its not worth a team, a school Nothing.No sports,r more important than our children.Get It!!!No parents should hear those words,that r being said to these people about money!!!Wake up what you say to others one day maybe said to you!!!
They have a chance to make it right for this family that have suffered a great loss.Make it Right somehow.These people involved)Do Not deserve to go unpunished.Just as serverly they beat to death these students shall they be held for there actions.Every college in America.Hazing Life without parole.
No amount is to great!Make examples everyone else follow.In hope one day.Soon is the answer.The money is only punishment cause everyone of these families do not feel relief.You cannot ever sigh relief when a child is gone.Time just goes on it does not heal always in your heart wounded filled with pain.Greif ,suffering
The deceased victim broke the law and school policies??? By doing what, getting beat to death? So let me get this straight, his murderers get 6 mos. of community control and Robert Champion who is dead, is at fault? Somebody needs to look the word "Justice" up in the dictionary.
Oh!Lets not forget Guilt for sending them.Okay!sorry in every word you speak to these families but 0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!0!etc..Yes we can!!!Dig Deep!!!Money is the surface.Wounded for Life.
I am outraged by the school's statement that the young man broke the law by 'willingly taking part in the hazing" and basically that it was his own fault. Nothing like blaming the victim.
To all the idiot bleeding hearts out there, explain to me how this is not partially, if fully, the part of the "victim"? the dude was 26 years old, capable of making his own decisions. he chose to take part in this ritual. no one forced him. the college is not responsible for his choice, but more his parents should be by not teaching their son to fold to peer pressure. the dude made a choice. he died because of his own stupidity. blaming someone else does nothing but reek of desperation and greed.