Affidavit yields details of OU student's death

Friday, October 8th 2004, 8:14 am

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ A University of Oklahoma student who died after a night of drinking with his fraternity brothers was so intoxicated that he had to be showered and put to bed, according to court documents.

The affidavit also showed the members of the Sigma Chi fraternity talked among themselves and made several other phone calls before calling 911 when Blake Adam Hammontree was found dead about nine hours later.

Hammontree, 19, was found dead Sept. 30 in the Sigma Chi fraternity house. His blood alcohol content was .42, more than five times the legal limit, according to a state medical examiner's report.

A police affidavit said that Hammontree, a new pledge to the fraternity, had been drinking beer and a specific brand of Schnapps with flecks of gold in it the night before, the affidavit said.

Fraternity members interviewed by police said he looked ``'obviously intoxicated state,''' and had to be helped to the bathroom where he repeatedly vomited.

Hammontree, of Medford, was attending a Big Brother/Little Brother party, one of two events held by the fraternity each year in which Big Brothers provide ``'drink refreshments (alcohol),''' the affidavit said.

Police said they received information from at least one pledge that there was pressure and encouragement for the pledges to drink large quantities of alcohol at this party.

At about 1:30 p.m. Hammontree was escorted to his Big Brother's room and put to bed on the fraternity member's sofa because he was about to ``'pass out.'''

At about 10:30 a.m., when members of the fraternity went to check on Hammontree he was found cold, stiff, purple and beyond resuscitation.

Hammontree's death prompted OU President David Boren to shut down the fraternity house and form an advisory panel to discuss ways to limit drinking on campus.

Initially police said fraternity members were not cooperating with the investigation into Hammontree's death.

One pledge told police he was contacted by members the Sigma Chi fraternity and told to ``'leave''' Norman and contact an attorney and ``'quit talking.'''

While no arrests have been made in connection with Hammontree's death, one fraternity member has been arrested for providing alcohol to a minor who was attending the same party.

Cody Barrington, 21, a sophomore business major from Southlake, Texas, appeared before a Cleveland County District Court judge on Tuesday on a felony charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor. He was released on his own recognizance.

According to a police affidavit, Barrington said he purchased several types of alcohol and dispensed it from his room. A police search of his room found numerous receipts and handwritten notes requesting liquor.

Hammontree's death is the fourth alcohol-related deaths on U.S. college campuses this fall.

Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr., 18, a freshman at the University of Colorado, died after drinking heavily with his new fraternity brothers. A coroner's report showed that his blood alcohol content .328 percent.

On Sept. 5, Samantha Spady, 19, died at a Colorado State University fraternity house with a blood-alcohol level of 0.436 percent.

Bradley Barrett Kemp, 20, died Saturday after drinking with fraternity brothers at the University of Arkansas. Officials said he died of an accidental overdose after mixing cold medicine and alcohol.