Fraternity Members Accused Of Hazing Appear In Court

Wednesday, March 21st 2007, 9:33 am

By: News On 6

Three Oklahoma State University fraternity members accused of hazing make a court appearance in Payne County on Tuesday. Corrion Quentrelle Cox, 22, Mitchel Anthony McCowan, 21, and Michael Dexter Combs, 20, were released Tuesday after posting bond. Joshua David Goree, 23, Lyall Cobb, 22, and Jason Donel Taylor, 22, are also charged in the case.

All six members of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity were charged earlier this month with hazing. Court records showed the fraternity members beat a pledge with paddles at meetings between Jan. 23 and Feb. 11. Stillwater police said one pledge's injuries were so severe that bare muscle was exposed on one of his buttocks and he needed plastic surgery to replace the missing skin.

Payne County District Attorney Robert Hudson said the hazing allegation involved a group of five pledges, but he chose to prosecute the men on behalf of the one pledge whose injuries were most severe. He said this case is the first he has prosecuted since hazing was banned in Oklahoma in 1990.

Hazing is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and 90 days in the county jail. Alpha Phi Alpha has been suspended by the fraternity's national office for five years, and has been banned from OSU.

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3/6/2007 OSU Fraternity Pledge Severely Beaten

3/12/2007 Students Charged With Hazing

3/14/2007 OSU Fraternity Suspended