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2 FAMU Fraternity Brothers Get 2 Years For Hazing

POSTED: Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Two Florida A&M University fraternity brothers each received two-year prison terms Monday from a judge who said she wanted to send a message with the state's first prosecution under a felony hazing law.

Michael Morton, 23, of Fort Lauderdale, and Jason Harris, 25, of Jacksonville, were led from the courtroom in handcuffs and so was Harris' lawyer, Richard Keith Alan II, who was charged with indirect criminal contempt.

Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker said one year might have been sufficient to punish Morton and Harris but that she added a second year to make sure that their sentences serve as a deterrent.

A jury in December convicted both under the new law that makes it a felony to participate in hazing that results in serious bodily injury. They could have from 12 months to five years under sentencing guidelines.

It was the second trial for Morton, Harris and three other Kappa Alpha Psi members. They were charged with hazing Marcus Jones, 20, of Decatur, Ga., who suffered a broken ear drum and severe bruising to his buttocks after he was punched and struck with wooden canes.

The first jury was unable to reach a verdict for any of the five defendants after raising questions about serious bodily injury, which is not defined in the law. The second jury also was unable to reach a verdict for the other three defendants and they are to be tried a third time in March.

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