By: Ed Moore III, WLJS Anchor edmoorewljs@yahoo.com
Jacksonville, Alabama (WLJS) -- Two years ago Tuesday, over a dozen young men from Jacksonville State University's Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity gathered inside a house less than a mile away from campus and engaged in what was the brutal, four-hour-long and nearly fatal hazing of former JSU football player, Jason Horton.
In all, 18 people were arrested and charged with a series of felonies and misdemeanors, making it one of the largest criminal cases in northeast Alabama.
In December 2011, JSU's XiXi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity was suspended from the campus. Two years later, the chapter is still suspended and university officials have not commented on when or if the fraternity would return to the campus.
Considering it's closeness, seven days to be exact, after the hazing death of Florida A&M University student Robert Champion, a 26-year-old drum major who was beaten to death aboard a bus by fellow band members following a football game in Orlando, the Jacksonville State case swarmed itself with media coverage. It also began serious conversations on the dangers of hazing as well as the long held traditions behind the ideas for "rights of passage."
All 18 defendants ended up striking plea deals with prosecutors, avoided jail time, some escaping almost a 20-year prison sentence and were given probation instead.
The internal investigation, which took 46 weeks to complete, was virtually kept out of the public eye until one day in October 2012, Calhoun County District Attorney Brian McVeigh announced that a grand jury had returned with multiple indictments in the case.
After that announcement, the case has been history ever since.
For several months following that announcement, Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputies began serving warrants to all those involved. One by one, booking photos of the men arrested began surfacing throughout social media, evening news broadcasts throughout Birmingham metro, as well as the local papers. The arrests stirred a sense of anxiety and even anger amongst JSU students. These tense feelings kept many throughout the area wondering who was next to be arrested.
Two years later, most of the 18 men arrested in connection with the case have since graduated from JSU, have professional jobs, are still on probation from the incident and will be until 2016.
According to a lawsuit filed by Horton in July 2012, while inside that house, Horton says he and other pledges were beaten with fists and paddles, hit with eggs and other objects, and made to drink vodka and mustard. The lawsuit claims that the hazing lasted for more than four hours.
He was taken to Regional Medical Center in Anniston the next day after he says he vomited blood. Once taken to the hospital, doctors found that Horton was bleeding internally, his liver was enlarged, kidneys were functioning at 50 percent and his urine turned black.
He was not released from the hospital until four weeks later.
Horton, 22 at the time, now 24, graduated with a bachelor’s degree from JSU in December 2012 and has since married. Horton has never spoken publicly about what happened to him and WLJS News was unable to speak with him at the time of this report.
The men arrested in the case, after repeated attempts, have also chosen not to comment publicly on the case.
When contacted by WLJS News regarding the anniversary of the case, Calhoun County DA Brian McVeigh said this was the first time his office ever dealt with a hazing case.
"We have not previously dealt with a hazing investigation resulting in a serious physical injury," he said. "We coordinated an investigation with Jacksonville State, JSU PD, and District Attorney’s Investigators. Any future requests would be handled in a similar manner."
Despite the possibility that the defendants could have faced jail time, McVeigh added that the entire case, including the punishments, were handled through the recommendation of Horton.
"We met with the victim and attorneys for the defendants and concluded all of the cases consistently with the wishes of our victim."
Looking back, JSU Police Chief Shawn Giddy said the case was anything but easy, which explains why the internal investigation took almost a year to complete. "[We had] lack of true cooperation from those involved," he said.
"It took time and a lot of work from everyone involved for the legal system to run its course and bring the truth out. A lot of time [was] spent locating a person, getting a statement, going back trying to get a true statement, getting subpoena's for evidence such as medical records and so forth, taking the case to Grand Jury, locating and arresting the [defendants] and the attorneys [having] their opportunities to settle the case. The more people involved, the more time it [took]."
Former JSU Student Government Association President Jason A. Sumner, 28, who was in office at the time of the DA's announcement of the indictments and the arrests made afterwards, also spoke with WLJS News regarding the anniversary.
"[Two years later], I think that the students in the Greek community are now a little more cautious,” said Sumner. I think they understand very seriously there are repercussions for their behavior. I think they understand that the university is not going to tolerate this. At the time that the case came out, my duties as president kept me wrapped up in the best interest of the students.
"I wanted to continue to motivate the student body to move forward and [know] that students were always first. I wasn’t so much embarrassed that it happened under my administration, but just in general. This was rather disappointing to the university. I was sad to hear about it. As far as JSU administration’s dealing with this case, they responded adequately. The university has zero tolerance for hazing. They did exactly what they needed to do."
Sumner, who said he's never met Horton, explained that if he ever did meet him, he would tell him that he is proud of him for coming forward about what happened to him.
"If I have to say anything to him, I would say I am very sorry that this happened to him and that he stood up for himself," said Sumner. "He made everyone aware of this. I am proud of him for standing up. The only way to stop the action is to do something about it. Evil is perpetuated by good men doing nothing. He wasn’t shy about it. I’m sure there was a lot of backlash and I’m sure it took great effect upon him, [but] he did the right thing."
Here is WLJS News' timeline of the case:
Saturday, November 19, 2011: Seven days before the hazing of Jason Horton in Jacksonville, Florida A&M University band student Robert Champion is beaten to death seven and a half hours away aboard a bus in Orlando by fellow band members following a football game. An autopsy would later show that Champion sustained injuries which included multiple blunt trauma blows, excessive internal bleeding, badly beaten muscles as well as severe tissue damage. The Orange County, Florida Sheriff's Office later ruled Champion's death a homicide.
Saturday, November 26, 2011: Jason Horton, along with other members of JSU's XiXi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity are gathered at a house on Ladiga Street in Jacksonville. This is when officials say the assault of Jason Horton took place. According to a July 2012 lawsuit filed by Horton, the hazing lasted four hours.
Sunday, November 27, 2011: According to a civil suit filed by Jason Horton's attorney's, Horton begins to vomit blood on this day. His fraternity brothers tell him that it is tomato juice and advise him not to seek medical attention, according to the lawsuit. Horton is hospitalized later on this day.
Tuesday, November 29 2011: Jacksonville State University police receive an information report from Regional Medical Center in Anniston that one of their students is being treated for injuries.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011: An official report of Reckless Endangerment & Hazing is filed by the Jacksonville State University police department, launching an investigation.
Thursday, December 1, 2011: JSU's Alpha Phi Alpha Chapter notify the student body through the chapter's Twitter account that their new members presentation show scheduled for the next day has been canceled until further notice.
Friday, December 9, 2011: This was the last day of finals for Jacksonville State University students. The case has still not been made public at this point.
Thursday, December 29, 2011: The Anniston Star receives word of the investigation and begins their coverage of the case. Birmingham's Fox 6 News begins coverage that same day.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012: Jacksonville State University students return to class for the 2012 spring semester.
Thursday, January 12, 2012: Birmingham's ABC 33/40 releases a news report that the investigation has been turned over to the Calhoun County District Attorney’s Office.
Friday, January, 20, 2012: WLJS makes history in hosting its first broadcast on hazing, which included Jacksonville State university officials, and older members of other fraternities and sororities.
Monday October, 29, 2012: 11 months after the hazing of Jason Horton, Calhoun County District Attorney Brian McVeigh announces that a grand jury has returned criminal indictments for 18 people in the case. The indictments included those who participated in the assault and those who were present during the assault and did not report it.
Thursday, December 20, 2012: 10 men charged in the case plead not guilty. Those 10 men were:
Mikel Deloch Whittier, 22, of St. Louis, Missouri
Jeremy Deshaun Potts, 21, of Tallassee
Justavious Qunitae Johnson, 22, of Jacksonville
Adeoye Deji Faleti, 23, of Jacksonville
Rhyan Anthony Swanson, 24, of Jacksonville
Juston Daniel Patrick, 23, of Jacksonville
Benjamin Joshua Puckett, 23, of Jacksonville
Daniel Dwayne Covington, 22, of Fairfield
Carl Robinson, 22, of Jacksonville
Roosevelt Morgan Jr., 21, of Leeds
Friday, December 21, 2012: The Anniston Star reports that Antonio Jarrell Davis, 28, of Montgomery, Juston Eugene Thomas, 22, of Birmingham and Brandon Marquell Bush, 23, of Phenix City, have also been arrested on felony assault and misdemeanor hazing charges in connection with the case. It is also reported that Carl Robinson, originally charged with felony assault and hazing, has pleaded not guilty.
Sunday, December 23, 2012: The Anniston star reports that Varian May, 28, of Oxford, has also been arrested in connection with the case.
Thursday, January 17, 2013: Jacolby Quantel Parks, 24, of Atlanta, turns himself into Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputies on felony assault and misdemeanor hazing charges in connection with the case. He is released later that day on $5,000 bond.
Monday, April 22, 2013: Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputies arrest Quintin Deandrae Day, 26, of Anniston, on one count of first-degree assault and two counts of misdemeanor hazing.
Wednesday April 24, 2013: Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputies arrest Fidel Mummadee Corfah, 24, in Jacksonville on one count of first-degree assault and two counts of misdemeanor hazing.
Monday, April 29, 2013: Jeremiah Antwon Bradford, 24, turns himself into Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputies on one count of first-degree assault and two counts of misdemeanor hazing.
Friday, May 17, 2013: Calhoun County Circuit Court Judge Debra Jones rules that Jason Horton and his attorneys will handle the lawsuit against Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, its JSU chapter and fraternity officials outside of court. No agreements on the settlement have been made at the time of this report.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013: In a deal with prosecutors, Justavious Quintae Johnson, Juston Thomas, Mikel Whitter and Varian May plead guilty to one count of misdemeanor hazing, a Class C misdemeanor. The DA's office announces that prosecution of the four men will be delayed for one year. In order for prosecutors to recommend probation rather than 90 days of jail time, which is the penalty for a Class C misdemeanor charge, the defendants must pay court costs, perform community service, testify as required for other cases moving forward and have no contact with Horton or his family.
Sunday, June 2, 2013: In a deal with prosecutors, the following suspects plead guilty to reckless endangerment, a Class A Misdemeanor: Brandon Marquell Bush, Fidel M. Corfah, Daniel Dwayne Covington, Juston Patrick Daniel, Quintin Deandrae Day, Jacolby Quantel Parks, Carl Robinson, Rhyan Anthony Swanson. The court requires they comply with the conditions of their agreement or face a year in jail, which is the penalty for a Class A misdemeanor conviction. They will have a probation hearing on May 21, 2014.
Monday, June 10, 2013: The case is officially resolved. The last three defendants, Jeremiah Antwon Bradford, Antonio Davis and Benjamin Puckett, plead guilty to reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor. The defendants will also have a probation hearing on May 21, 2014. If they comply with the terms of their agreement, Calhoun County prosecutors will recommend probation until 2016, as opposed to a year in jail, which is the penalty for a Class A misdemeanor conviction in the state of Alabama. No information is available regarding the cases of Morgan Roosevelt Jr., Jeremy Potts and Adeoye Faleti. It is believed these three were granted prosecutorial immunity because of their age or cooperation in the case.
This report was made through WLJS News in Jacksonville, Alabama on 11/26/2013 at 4:20 A.M. Updated on 11/27/2013 at 1:21 A.M.
