HAZING OFFENDERS SPEAK TO PLEDGES

Complying with a condition of their sentencing in the 1994 death of Michael Davis, two former members of a banned fraternity spoke about hazing Sunday before an audience of fraternity and sorority pledges.

Michael Q. Williams and Issac Sims III, former members of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, told nearly 200 Greek hopefuls at Southeast's Academic Auditorium that to stop hazing requires the efforts of both the victim and the system.

Davis, who was 25 at the time of his death, was found dead in his dormitory room Feb. 15, 1994. Six eyewitnesses told the St. Louis Circuit Court that Davis was hit on the back of the neck, chest and back, was kicked and slammed into the ground for about an hour during a hazing ritual. Witnesses said a kick to his chest caused him to slump to the ground unconscious. He never regained consciousness.

"There is so much that is good in the Greek system," Sims said. "Hazing does happen everywhere to different degrees, but it has no place in this organization. Times change and fraternities must evolve with this."

Williams and Sims, who were participants in the events leading to Davis' death, were convicted in 1994 of misdemeanor hazing. They were sentenced to 30 days in jail and community service hours that include giving speeches for three years.

In response to a question from the audience, Sims said Davis was never hit on the head during the hazing ceremony at SEMO's track and field complex. He said fraternity members discussed it later and concluded Davis must have died as a result of being slammed into some mud which caused blood vessels to rupture in his head. He said there was no indication at the time that Davis was in distress.

"I think the key word we're missing here is responsibility," Williams said. "We're definitely being held accountable for our actions. The sentence we've got is living with the death of a friend. It's different when it's a friend and you've got to look into his mother's eyes as she's boo-hooing in front of the judge."

Both men said the responsibility for hazing rests both with the victims and the system.

"It's been happening for so long you would have thought someone would have said it was time to stop," Williams said. "Well that's why I'm here. I could be cutting grass for my community service."

Sims said he would encourage a son of his to become a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, but would tell him to withdraw from pledging if fraternity members took to hazing.

"The ball is in your court. Ignorance is no excuse," he said. "Don't subject yourself to that. If you feel like an organization is hazing then turn your back on that organization."

Joe Moore, a member of different fraternity, said he was subjected to hazing when he was a pledge, but that things have changed.

"I asked Issac after it happened why they did it and he said tradition. That never sat well with me," Moore said. "Tradition is a stupid excuse. The founders more than likely did not haze."

Recent legislation has moved hazing from a misdemeanor to a Class C felony and has broadened the definition of hazing to include a wide range of offenses.

"It is up to fraternities to produce members that help your organization grow instead of T-shirt members. As a whole I have to give our fraternity outstanding marks," Sims said.

"What happened to Michael Davis was a tragedy. But the fact is he wanted to be a great man and he wanted to join our organization."