A FAMU freshman, severely beaten in a band hazing incident inflicted by members of the Red Dawg Order of the FAMU Marching 100, has left the school, her $85,000 band scholarship and filed a personal injury lawsuit.
B.S.H., a clarinet player in the band, felt that as she couldn't walk on her leg she had no choice but to name the three band members responsible for the beating. She reported the incident to J.W., her band director, who in turn notified campus police after sending B.S.H. to the hospital.
Doctors diagnosed B.S.H. with a cracked thigh bone and blood clots that same day, November 7, and criminal charges were filed on December 12.
B.S.H. told authorities that she was beaten because she had failed to perform up to the standards set by the Red Dawg Order in the FAMU Marching 100.
Coupled with her decision to speak openly about her assault, B.S.H. has also resolved to leave the school and her band scholarship, behind.
The Red Dawg order is a fraternal organization of Atlanta students in the FAMU Marching 100, has 21 chapters at predominantly black schools around the south and encompasses marching band students at HBCU's all over the country.
Ormond Moore, the assistant director of bands at Marietta's R.L. Osborne High School, said, "It was supposed to breed you to be a better musician...to teach you the ins and outs...Somewhere along the line the situation has changed to become a pledging process."
S.H., 23, A.G., 19 and J.H., 22, were all arrested and charged in connection with B.S.H.'s assault. All three are FAMU band students from Atlanta. The defendants, per their legal representatives, are planning to contest the charges.
B.S.H. contends that the three men, all from the Red Dawg Order, hit her with spatulas, book binders and metal rulers while she was forced to lift her legs in a marching stance.
The lawsuit names the school for its failure to ensure a B.S.H.'s safety as they were well aware of a problem in the band for over ten years.
The suit, filed on B.S.H.'s behalf by Atlanta-based attorney B.J. Bernstein, was announced at a press conference on December 12. Bernstein said, "This open secret at FAMU once and for all must end. Parents trust schools. (Schools) can't block everything, but they can do a heck of a lot."
FAMU is allegedly in the process of making a statement and had no comment following the press conference.
A former band member that made a statement, on the contingency that he remain anonymous, said, "It is a slap in the face to the late Dr. (W.P.F.), who founded the band, for all the thousands of individuals who marched in the band, for Dr. (J.E.W.'s) name and for the university as a whole." And, in regards to hazing, would only comment: "That is not what we were about, what the band is about, not what the university is about."
Hazing, or any type of attack, is considered a case of personal injury. You must contact a personal injury lawyer to prevent others from similar encounters, and gain monetary compensation for your suffering.