TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Nine Florida State University fraternity leaders charged with felony hazing in the death of a pledge in November were due in court Friday morning.
Their hearing was postponed, but new police body cam video shows another fraternity expressing disapproval over a ban on Greek activity.
One week after the death of an FSU fraternity pledge and just four days after FSU President John Thrasher banned all Greek activity as a result, body cam video shows what FSU police found at 3 a.m. at the fountain in front of the administration building.
The video isn't dramatic, but the message was an apparent middle finger to the university and the Greek ban.
"I was mad. I was mad," Thrasher said.
BODY CAM: FSU police bust fraternity event in November
Following the death of Andrew Coffey, 20, at a Pi Kappa Phi party in which the nine fraternity leaders were charged with felony hazing, Thrasher vowed to create a new normal.
"Frankly, if this happens again, I'm going to be very, very concerned, and I hope their national organizations are also," Thrasher said.
But nearly three months later, change is proving difficult, according to some.
"Isn't it kind of a sign that the effort isn't working?" reporter Mike Vasilinda said.
"It's not. It's not. That's why I said something about the national organizations. They need to get involved in this," Thrasher said. "If they don't, I'm worried, Mike, that we are going to lose fraternities, and I don't want that to happen."
The Alpha Epsilon Pi was also recently dismissed from FSU. It was found responsible for an extended six-week hazing of pledges that continued until at least the day after Coffey died.
State Attorney Jack Campbell is investigating.
"Once we get the results of it, we'll take a look at it and decide if that constitutes a violation of Florida law," Campbell said.
This chapter of Pi Kappa Phi was disbanded by its national organization. The house is now empty. The property is controlled by a company owned by alumni. It will likely be rented to another Greek organization, if Greek Life weathers this storm.
While threatening to pull the plug on Greek Life if there is another incident, FSU's president did say he expects to lift the current interim ban in the near future.