Former student sues University of Southern Mississippi and Omega Psi Phi over alleged hazing

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A former Omega Psi Phi pledge who alleges he was so severely beaten during the Nu Eta chapter's “Hell Night” that he had to relearn how to walk is now suing the fraternity, the University of Southern Mississippi, multiple other people and organizations.

According to the federal lawsuit, Rafeal Joseph and other pledges were struck repeatedly with a wooden paddle made from a two-by-four plank on April 16, 2023. Afterward, Joseph went to the hospital where he underwent a blood transfusion and emergency surgery while being treated for bruised ribs, a hematoma, posterior compartment syndrome and rhabdomyolysis, a severe muscle injury.

The lawsuit alleges Joseph suffered severe emotional distress and could not walk for months. He ultimately dropped out of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity declined to comment on the litigation. The University of Southern Mississippi was not immediately available for comment.

“We see violent incidents like these time and again across the nation but, instead of taking action, fraternity leaders and university officials alike sweep it under the rug and write it off as ‘boys will be boys,’ ” civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers, who is representing Joseph, said in a press release. “It’s criminal violence and abuse and it needs to end.”

The lawsuit alleges fraternity members began hazing Joseph in December 2022 by stealing his food and money, preventing him from sleeping and threatening him.

It also lays out a second case of alleged abuse, claiming Nu Eta hazing left another student with a torn ACL in the fall of 2022. According to the lawsuit, the University of Southern Mississippi did not investigate the incident or take action against the fraternity.

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This story has been corrected to say that the lawsuit was filed against the University of Southern Mississippi, not the University of Mississippi.