Follow-up on Geneseo Hazing
Jeffrey Costello
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: Opinion
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On March 1st Arman Partamian, a biology major and sophomore at SUNY Geneseo, was found dead after a fraternity function which was suspected to be a hazing incident.
The fraternity in question, The Pigs, was an off-campus fraternity not recognized by SUNY Geneseo and therefore was a standalone organization. It was also known to have a reputation as a frat that engaged in heavy drinking.
Since the last report, there have been developments in the case. The tragedy that night has been confirmed to be a hazing ritual for The Pigs fraternity. Two other students participated in the same pledging process alongside Partamian.
Three men have been charged in connection to the young student's death: Alex Stucki, Devon McClain and Daniel Wech. Stucki and Wech are also students at SUNY Geneseo. All three were charged at the Livingston County Courthouse on March 31 with a myriad of charges.
All three have been charged with criminally negligent homicide. Other charges include tampering with evidence, unlawfully dealing with a child, second degree criminal nuisance, and first and second degree hazing. All three pled not guilty.
The tampering with evidence charge is in regards to Stucki allegedly removing a fraternity shirt from Partamian's body before authorities arrived on the scene. Authorities suspect he was attempting to remove any association with The Pigs to avoid punishment of the frat.
Livingston County DA Moran disclosed to Rochester news station WHEC that Partamian was "told to drink excessive amounts of beer, a bottle of champagne and share a gallon jug of vodka."
In an effort to make frats and sororities think twice before hosting more drinking parties, where a five dollar entrance fee pays for all your alcohol, DA Moran is threatening to take extreme measures. "If the fraternities won't stop…I'll keep going and I will end up indicting them for tax fraud," said Moran.
The Pigs, on the other hand, seem to be finished. Their landlord recently kicked them out of their house. Additionally, SUNY Geneseo President Christopher Dahl suspended the frat members involved. This came after Geneseo Police were called to The Pigs' house six times since 2006.
The current events put a tragic close to a battle between Geneseo and the frat in which Geneseo tried to get the underground frat shut down, but were unable to.