N.J. Student Pleads Not Guilty To Hazing Charge Tied To Drinking Death

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ A Rider University student has pleaded not guilty to a hazing charge in connection with the binge-drinking death of a freshman at a fraternity house. <br/><br/>Adriano DiDonato, 22,

Wednesday, August 8th 2007, 10:22 pm

By: News On 6

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ A Rider University student has pleaded not guilty to a hazing charge in connection with the binge-drinking death of a freshman at a fraternity house.

Adriano DiDonato, 22, the fraternity's house manager, did not speak during the arraignment Wednesday as his lawyer entered the plea on his behalf to aggravated hazing. A second student's arraignment was delayed.

After the hearing, DiDonato's attorney said his client was devastated by the death of Gary DeVercelly Jr. but said it was unfair to charge him with hazing when he wasn't in the room where the drinking occurred.

``This is a tragic event and by no means does Adriano minimize what happened here,'' Paul Norris said. ``To think that one person is going to police all these people, that's a little crazy.''

DeVercelly, of Long Beach, Calif., died one day after drinking at a party at the Phi Kappa Tau house on the private school's campus in central New Jersey.

DeVercelly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.426 percent, or more than five times New Jersey's legal limit for driving, when he was pronounced dead March 30 at a hospital, authorities have said.

Two school officials and a third student were also charged with hazing. The school dissolved the Phi Kappa Tau chapter on Friday.

If convicted of hazing, the officials and fraternity members would face a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a fine as high as $10,000.