Man convicted in hazing death of Florida A&M band member
A 26-year-old former member of Florida A&M’s vaunted marching band was convicted of manslaughter and hazing Friday, nearly three years after band member Robert Champion was beaten to death with drumsticks, mallets and other items during a hazing ritual.
Dante Martin was convicted of manslaughter and three counts of college hazing causing injury or death, a representative for the 9th Circuit State’s Attorney’s Office in Orlando told the Los Angeles Times. A sentencing date has not been set, and no other information was immediately available, the representative said.
More than 15 students were charged in Champion’s death. Champion, of Decatur, Ga., died of blunt-force trauma after fellow band members punched him and hit him with drumsticks in a ritual known as “crossing Bus C.”
Seven students accepted plea deals that resulted in probation or community service, according to the Associated Press; one student, Jesse Baskin, was sentenced to a year in prison.
Champion’s death led to the resignation of the band leader and the university president and caused the school to shut down the band for nearly two years. The band was allowed to return to the field in September 2013 after the school instituted a slew of anti-hazing restrictions.
Times Staff Writer Matt Pearce contributed to this report.
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