A WSU fraternity drinking initiation rite in November 2019 killed a 19-year-old pledge.
A lawsuit filed by the wrongful death lawyer hired by his parents alleges the victim and another pledge “were given half-gallon bottle of hard alcohol and … instructed to consume it before the end of the evening,” the Associated Press says.
The local medical examiner ruled his death an accident. WSU suspended the fraternity for 5 years. Three fraternity members pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of supplying liquor to a minor, were given 8 months probation, and ordered to each pay a $500 fine.
For a homicide? You have to be kidding.
Maxwell Rovegno, Cameron Thomas and Nolan Valcik were sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to one count of furnishing liquor to a minor, according to sentencing documents from the Whitman County District Court.
The men were not accused of furnishing liquor to Sam Martinez of Bellevue, the freshman who died that night. The defendants were each sentenced to a day in jail and a $1,000 fine with $500 suspended.
And that’s it… for killing someone! An innocent young adult who still had his whole life left ahead of him.
Photo: Death house at WSU
