ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Three years have passed since the brutal beating death of a Florida A&M University drum major exposed a culture of hazing within the school’s band.
The final three former band members charged with manslaughter and felony hazing in the death of Robert Champion will go on trial Monday. Champion, 26, of Decatur, Georgia, died after being attacked on the band’s bus in November 2011 after a football game where the highly-regarded Marching 100 had performed.
The defendants – Benjamin McNamee, 24; Aaron Golson, 22; and Darryl Cearnel, 28; are being tried together and each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Known as “Crossing Bus C,” the ritual required band members to make their way through a pounding gauntlet of fists, drumsticks and mallets from the front of the bus to the back. Two other band members – Lissette Sanchez and Keon Hollis – went through the bus before Champion, and survived.
A total of 15 former band members were charged with manslaughter. One, Jessie Baskin, served one year in county jail. Others plea bargained for probation and community service. The band itself was suspended for more than a year while officials tried to clean up the program.