Archive for 2012

Tampa Bay Times editorial board glorifies Castell while demanding that Ammons leave

In the least surprising news of the day, the editorial board of the Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times) called for the departure of FAMU President James H. Ammons while praising the “good ole days” of former Interim President Castell Bryant.


The only shocking thing about the editorial is that the Times board doesn’t seem to remember that it’s made its intense dislike of Ammons obvious ever since he was appointed in 2007. The Times editorial board had a borderline hatred of former FAMU President Frederick S. Humphries and wasn’t happy when Ammons, the former provost and vice-president for academic affairs of the Humphries years, became the tenth president of the university.

The Times editorial board used Castell as its example of a model FAMU leader while bashing Ammons. “As interim FAMU president in 2005, Castell Bryant tried to ensure only FAMU students played in the band,” it wrote.

The editorial board still won’t acknowledge that Castell almost destroyed the Marching 100 by nearly destroying FAMU. It refuses to criticize her for getting the worse audits in school history and nearly costing FAMU its accreditation. Come to think of it, the Times editorial still hasn’t taken Gov. Rick Scott to task for threatening FAMU’s accreditation, either.

Ammons hasn’t lost the support of the Tampa Bay Timeseditorial board. He never had its support in the first place.

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FAMU's ΚΚΨ chapter suspended until 2017

The National Council of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Fraternity has suspended the Delta Iota Chapter at FAMU until 2017.

A statement released by the organization read:

As noted in a statement Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Fraternity released on January 30, 2012, the National Leadership was alerted to a situation that might have been a violation of Fraternity policy on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 through an article that appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat. The Fraternity responded immediately as noted in a statement issued by the Fraternity on January 30th, 2012. It was determined that the situation occurred during the spring 2010 semester and involved the Delta Iota chapter at Florida A&M University.


Following that report, the National Council of the Fraternity organized an investigation into the situation that was and is consistent with the policies and procedures of the Fraternity. The Fraternity was subsequently asked to hold off on its investigation by a representative of Florida A&M because of a police investigation that was being organized. We chose to honor that request but placed the Delta Iota chapter on Investigative Hold until we could complete our investigation. While on Investigative Hold a chapter many not operate on any level without approval of local and national supervision.

On March 28, 2012, the Tallahassee Police Department concluded its investigation and released its findings. Following the completion of that investigation, Kappa Kappa Psi went forward with its investigation that had been held pending the completion of the police work.

As a result of this investigation and the incident that occurred in spring of 2010, the National Council has voted to remove the Delta Iota Chapter at Florida A&M University from the roster of active chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi. The Delta Iota chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi will be closed for a period of at least five years or until May, 3 2017. This decision was based primarily upon hazing activities that occurred as well as other related issues including a failure to follow policies of the national organization and uncertainty of the future leadership and direction of the University and the Music Department.

All undergraduate members of Delta Iota chapter in the spring semester of 2010 have been expelled. All prospective members--those in the joining process--during the spring semester of 2010 have been expelled. Any members of the Fraternity including alumnus members who were present at the incident that led to the investigation and sanctions have been expelled. A total of 28 individuals have been expelled from Kappa Kappa Psi.

Any current dues paying student members of Delta Iota chapter who were not members during the spring, 2010 semester have been placed on Alumni status with Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity. As alumnus members they may not participate in any undergraduate chapter event or activity at Florida A&M University since the Delta Iota Chapter is no longer active. Any violation of this status will result in expulsion from the Fraternity.

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Ammons answers questions about band, athletics budget, and enrollment

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Ammons extends Marching 100’s suspension through 2013

FAMU President James H. Ammons announced today that the Marching 100 won’t take return during the 2012-2013 school year.

"I was heavily influenced by the need to be respectful to Robert Champion's family as well as the other victims," Ammons said. "A young man lost his life and others suffered serious injuries."

Ammons said that the university must take its time to make absolutely sure that the band and every other campus organization is as safe as possible for all the students who participate.

"So we will work to get these things done," he told university trustees. "But I do think there is a period we should take to ensure that these measures are in place and we have addressed all the institutional issues.”

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Orlando Sentinel editorial board becomes exactly what it previously criticized

Unpopularity with certain Florida newspaper editorial boards is a tough fact of life that the best FAMU presidents of recent decades have had to face.

The editorial board of the St. Petersburg Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) had a borderline hatred of former FAMU President Frederick S. Humphries during most of his 16 years in office. The Tallahassee Democrat’seditorial didn’t care for him much, either. That’s why both boards became huge cheerleading sections for Castell Bryant. Castell used her interim presidency as a platform to trash the achievements of the Humphries years.

Neither the Times nor the Democrat was very happy when the former provost and vice-president for academic affairs of the Humphries administration received the nod to become FAMU’s new president in 2007. James H. Ammons let both newspapers know from his first months in office that he would not be another Castell. Back when St. Pete Times editorial board member Bill Maxwell proudly quoted Castell’s statement that FAMU students were twos on a four-point scale, the Ammons administration returned fire by defending the quality of the student body and calling her comments “disturbing.”

But despite all that Ammons has done to clean up the financial and accreditation mess that Castell left, he still hasn’t been able to convince the Times or the Democrat editorial boards that he’s a better president than Castell. The executive editor of the Democrat, Bob Gabordi, remains one of Castell's chat buddies.

The editorial board of the Orlando Sentinel that once joined the Times and the Democrat in their praise of Castell during her years in office seemed like it had turned a new leaf this year and decided to try and be fair to FAMU. But that act didn’t last very long.

Back on Dec. 20, the Sentinel’s editorial board spoke out against those who wanted to treat a student death at FAMU differently than they would treat a student death at the University of Central Florida (UCF).

“We can't help but point out that while hazing wasn't at issue in the death of Ereck Plancher, no state leaders called on University of Central Florida President John Hitt to step aside in 2008 amid serious allegations of negligence by the football staff. Neither should they have,” the editorial board wrote.

But now the Sentinel’s editorial board is calling for Ammons to resign over the hazing incident that took the life of Marching 100 member Robert Champion’s. It still hasn’t called for Hitt’s resignation even though a jury found UCF negligent and ordered the university’s athletic association to pay $10M.

ESPN reported that Plancher, a football player, “collapsed and died following conditioning drills at the school's football complex in March 2008. Orange County medical examiner Joshua Stephany and three experts hired by Plancher family attorneys testified he died from complications of sickle cell trait. The jurors found the athletic association was negligent and failed to do everything possible to save Plancher's life.”

Hitt isn’t the only State University System of Florida president whom most of the state’s editorial boards didn't try and chase away after a student death that eventually resulted in a costly civil settlement.

Florida State University (FSU) President Sandy D’Alembertekept most of his editorial board support when football player Devaughn Darlingdied after a workout session in 2001. FSU reached a settlement of $2M one year after D’Alemberte retired. University of Florida (UF) President Charles Youngalso maintained most of his editorial board support when football player Eraste Autin died after a workout session in 2001. UF settled with the family for an undisclosed amount in 2006.

The FSU, UF, and UCF student deaths all followed years of scandals that showed a long-running lack of administrative control over their football programs.

The editorial boards of the Tampa Bay Times, Tallahassee Democrat, and Orlando Sentinel might need to be reminded that Rattlers are not ignorant of the news and know when the university isn’t being treated fairly.

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Rufus, BOG thought White could help them divide-and-conquer

The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) and Rufus Montgomery, Gov. Rick Scott’s go-to trustee at FAMU, both jumped on Julian E. White’s bandwagon shortly after the university announced his termination on November 23. They seemed to think that he could give them enough fire power to finally take down FAMU President James H. Ammons. The ex-band director had a large number of FAMU supporters who wanted revenge on the senior administration that fired him.


White gained some momentum early on when the CBS Evening News and other media organizations gave him a soap box to use against his former boss. He looked even stronger when Willie Gary signed on as his co-counsel. But the recent bombshells about misconduct and suspected financial mismanagement inside the program he led were just too much for White or his followers to explain away.

The BOG and Rufus now have to draw up a new plan to try and rally Rattlers against Ammons. White is no longer in any position to help them.

Rufus and the BOG rushed to side with White shortly after he began to protest his firing in November.

On Nov. 29, then-BOG Chairwoman Ava Parker sent FAMU stating that the board was going to investigate White’s allegations that "he received little support despite repeatedly advising current and former university administrators of hazing activities within the Marching 100 band." It did not specifically mention any intent to examine Ammons’ claim about a lack of competence on White’s part.

Scott made no effort to criticize the one-sided focus of the BOG investigation. Rather than call for a fair investigation into the disagreement between Ammons and White, his office said that it wanted the governor’s inspector general and the BOG inspector general to work together to review FAMU’s hazing problem.

Rufus expressed anger at a Dec. 8 Board of Trustees meeting about how White was instructed to clear out his desk. He used it as one of the justifications behind his unsuccessful motion to suspend Ammons. Seven days after Montgomery dropped the ball, Scott finally went public to show that he was the real leader behind the push to remove Ammons from office. The "suspend Ammons" campaign broke down after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools scolded Scott for jeopardizing FAMU’s accreditation.

The Dec. 8 Board of Trustees turned out to be the high point for those who thought White’s allegations could bring an end to the Ammons administration. White’s claim that he did all he could to stop hazing ultimately failed to withstand media scrutiny.

Many FAMUans could not believe their ears when White told ESPN that he’d never heard of the "Crossing Bus C" ritual before Nov. 19, 2011. Another embarrassment came when two Marching 100 staffers resigned after being linked a hazing incident involving the university’s Kappa Kappa Psi chapter.

By the time Ammons reported that 101 ineligible individuals were on White’s Fall 2012 roster, the writing was on the wall. White finally stopped fighting and resigned.

The bias that the BOG and Scott's top crony on the FAMU board displayed by siding with White before all the facts were even known shows that they were never objective and were never committed to finding the truth.

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Scott’s chief of staff resigns amid $5.5M no-bid contract scandal, ethics complaint

Gov. Rick Scott has been quick to jump in front of reporters to talk about the need to investigate the financial records of the Marching 100. But it turns out that the governor's chief of staff has a history of financial shenanigans that is almost as embarrassing as Scott's.


Scott's chief of staff, Steve MacNamara, is resigningin the wake of headlines accusing him of using state money to reward political cronies and possibly violating the state’s ethics laws.

According to the Orlando Sentinel: "A series of stories in the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times over the last week detailed a no-bid contract he helped steer to the business partner of a close friend, and an ethics complaint was filed over his use of state employees to help prepare his resume for a Montana academic job opening."

The Tampa Bay Times reported that MacNamara, who is a tenured professor at Florida State University, used his former position as chief of staff for the Florida Senate to help a business partner of one of his close friends receive a $5.5M no-bid software project contract in 2011. Scott hired him serve as his own chief of staff later that year.

MacNamara currently faces an ethics complaint that alleges he had employees in the governor’s office assist him in updating a resume he prepared for his application for the presidency of Carroll College in Montana.

There were already reports that MacNamara planned to step down in about six months to move to Vermont with his wife, but the negative media reports apparently pushed him to depart early. His resignation will go into effect on July 1.  

MacNamara publicly attacked the independent task force on hazing that FAMU President James H. Ammons appointed last year. Hsaid the inspector generals of the governor's office and Florida Board of Governors (BOG) were "better suited" to investigate the hazing problem than FAMU's independent task force.

"In my opinion, we don't need duplication and dueling tasks forces and the Inspector Generals are much better suited to review this matter than the group assembled," MacNamara wrote in a November 29 email to the BOG.

MacNamara also gave a bumbling statement to press after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools scolded Scott for trying to pressure the FAMU Board of Trustees to suspend Ammons.

"He is not lobbying board members and will not,” he said. "We await the letter from [SACS President Belle Wheelan] and I am sure she will not be threatening FAMU with losing its accreditation based on the governor's statement. The governor will continue to express his opinion on issues he feels strongly about."

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White: "They gave me a check for every name that I gave them"

FAMU's ex-Director of Bands Julian E. White continues to deny responsibility for failing to make sure every Marching 100 member was an eligible student.

White admits that he "missed a cue," but says it wasn’t his job to verify the enrollment status of band members before he submitted their names for per diem checks.

"They gave me a check for every name that I gave them, so those persons are qualified to receive the money," White said. "And that’s where we differ, the university and myself, differ."

FAMU’s recent internal review of Marching 100 documents found that 101 ineligible individuals were on White’s Fall 2012 roster.

White blames the senior administration for not verifying the enrollment status of each individual on his list.

"Before we make a trip…I am required to submit a list of names for them to be issued per-diem," White said. "Well that list is submitted to the Athletic Department and then after the Athletic Department receives it, it goes to the controller’s office, who in turn gives the check for us based on the names that we have submitted…The final decision to issue checks should be after a complete review that a student is in fact eligible to receive per diem."

The former band director did not directly acknowledge the fact that no ineligible individuals would have received checks if he hadn’t included their names on the per diem list in the first place. White also didn’t state whether he ever informed the Athletic Department or controller’s office that the per diem lists he gave them hadn’t gone through the enrollment verification process.

Previous administrations handled the enrollment verification process for band activities in different ways. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, former President Frederick S. Humphries required the dean of Arts and Sciences to secure enrollment verification for the members of the band. Former Interim President Castell Bryant said her office checked the enrollment verification of the band roster before each trip.

The Ammons administration says White had a duty to make sure that all Marching 100 members were eligible.

"Based upon my understanding, Dr. White was the ultimate recruiter and gatekeeper of those participating with the marching band including those who we have come to learn were not appropriately enrolled," Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel Avery McKnight said in a written statement.

The Democrat reported that White "said he made it known that next year, those not properly enrolled in the band class would be forbidden from participating in the marching band."

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Scott learns lesson, tempers his anti-Ammons ranting and Tea Party-style racial comments

It looks like Gov. Rick Scott learned something from the national embarrassment he suffered after he tried to bully FAMU President James H. Ammons out the door in December.


The governor tiptoed when reporters asked him to respond to Tallahassee Democrat columnist Gerald Ensley's Tea Party-style opinion piece that claiming Ammons is still in charge because of "black people protecting black people."

Scott, a proud Tea Party supporter, decided against joining Ensley's rant about black people despite the offensive racial comments he has made in the past.

"As you know, we’ve got a, we’ve got a Board of Trustees, that’s you know, their responsibility with, you the justice is, I believe justice is gonna prevail which is the right thing," Scott said in response. "Uh, and you know, I suggested that, uh, President Ammons step aside during the investigation but the board is gonna make a decision."

Back on Dec. 15, more than 1,200 FAMU students marched to the Governor’s Mansion in protest of Scott’s attempt to pressure FAMU trustees to suspend Ammons.

The governor raised tensions that evening by talking down to the students. He told them he could relate them because he grew up in a poor family that lived in public housing.

"We’re not all poor!" shouted Ciara Taylor, a FAMU student.

The next day, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools sent Scott a letter warning that his interference could cost the university its accreditation. Scott also received criticism from the editorial boards of the Orlando Sentinel and Miami Herald.

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Lawson: Ammons appears to be leaning against fielding Marching 100 in the fall

The Associated Press reports that former State Sen. Alfred "Al" Lawson, a strong ally of FAMU President James H. Ammons, believes the university head is "leaning toward keeping the band suspended."


"There is a considerable amount of pressure being placed on the university and the trustees about the band being able to perform in the fall," Lawson said. "But I think in the light of everything, though the university is going to have to go in a new direction."

Lawson has enjoyed a close working relationship with the FAMU president ever since he was appointed in 2007.

Ammons walked the halls of the Florida Legislature with Lawson in order to successfully lobby for millions of construction dollars for the school. The former state senator, now a Congressional candidate, joined a protest student against Gov. Rick Scott's attempt to pressure Ammons to temporarily step down back in December. Lawson stood by Ammons’ side when he met with Scott the next day for a face-to-face discussion of the suspension request.

The FAMU president will discuss the Marching 100's future during a special teleconference with university trustees on Monday. His final decision about whether the band should play in the fall will come after days of input from various support groups within the FAMU family.

"I have asked the Internal Crisis Management Team to speak with our supporters, such as faculty student leaders, the alumni, the boosters and the Athletic Department, over the next two days to hear their input about the conditions for bring the band back," Ammons wrote on May 8. "I will receive a report summarizing this input at the conclusion of their meetings."

The university has already started considering alternate entertainment options for next year’s halftime shows.

"We're going to make sure we stay in tune with what the university's doing, but also have plan A, B and C just in case we have to use those options," FAMU Athletic Director Derek Horne said in an article published by Reuters.

In a statement released yesterday, Ammons also formally acknowledged the resignation of former Director of Bands Julian E. White.

“We wish him well in his retirement," Ammons said. "Given his position as department chair and director of bands, we must focus on moving forward with changes to the music department and the marching band."

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Ammons' BOT update on Marching 100: Full Text

 



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White ends fight for reinstatement, tenders resignation

Julian E. White has chosen to end to his fight against FAMU President James H. Ammons' decision to terminate him.

Statement from Chuck Hobbs, Attorney for Dr. Julian White

After 40 years of service Dr. White, 71, has chosen to retire as Director of Bands and Distinguished Chair of the Florida A&M University Department of Music.

Dr. White has been a proud FAMU Rattler for more than half a century, first as a student member of the marching band, and later as a drum major of the world-renowned Marching 100. A 1963 graduate, Dr. White returned to his alma mater 1973 after a successful stint as a high school band director. Dr. White was associate professor and associate director of bands from 1973-1997. Dr. Julian E. White, a tenured and Distinguished Professor of Music, who has served as Chairman of the Music Department and Director of Bands, including the wind ensemble, symphonic and concert bands, as well as the world-famous Marching 100 since 1998.

 For a period of ten years, he served as drill designer for the McDonald’s All-American High School Band with appearances at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City, the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California and the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona. His drills have been featured in performances on all major television networks, and the Bastille Day Ceremony in Paris, France.

Presently Dr. White assists with halftime shows for Bowl Games of America and is on the adjudication staff for Music Festivals USA, International Music Festivals and Heritage Music Festivals, in addition to writing drill shows for high school and college bands. He has also served as guest conductor at the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois. He is very active as a conductor and clinician for middle and high school bands, summer band camps, and district, state, national and international music conferences and workshops.

Dr. White leaves a legacy that includes having taught thousands of students, many of whom have become successful has produced doctors, lawyers, nurses; educators in all fields, school administrators, musicians, music teachers, and band directors on the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels themselves.

Most recently, White was recipient of the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity’s Achievement Award, which is the organization’s highest honor. At FAMU, White was a two-time the recipient of the FAMU Teacher of the Year Awards, as well as the FAMU Army ROTC Teacher of the Year Award. Just last month, he received the FAMU Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity/Kappa Delta Alumni Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. White has received the NAACP Achievement Award and is a past recipient of the Florida A&M University Superior Accomplishment Award. He also has received the FAMU Distinguished Professor/Advanced Teacher of the Year Award, the FAMU Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award; the FAMU Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Thurgood Marshall Outstanding Achiever Award sponsored by the Fed Ex Orange Bowl Committee. Dr. White was honored by the Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity with the Distinguished Service to Music Award, first won by the legendary John Phillip Sousa.

Next week, White will be honored as a William N. Raines Sr. High School Legend, which will include the designation of the Julian E. White Performing Arts Wing in his honor.

Dr. White remains a loyal FAMU Rattler and wishes his alma mater continued success in the future. He looks forward to spending more time with his family.

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As many as 100 ineligible individuals took field with Marching 100

FAMU’s internal review of Marching 100 program documents shows that as many as 100 academically ineligible individuals played with the band during the Florida Classic on Nov. 19. Caleb Jackson, Brian Jones, and Lasherry Codner, three of the defendants charged with the felony hazing against deceased drum major Robert Champion, were among the ineligible persons.

FAMU President James H. Ammons reported the information to the institution’s trustees on Tuesday. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Ammons' letter showed that  "of the 457 people who were listed on a FAMU roster of band 'travelers' at the beginning of the fall 2011 semester, 331 were FAMU students and 25 were employees."

"The university clearly has written guidelines that require marching band students to be enrolled at FAMU, FSU or TCC and in a specific band course," FAMU Chief Communications Officer Sharon Saunders said. "According to the Marching '100' Band Handbook, students cannot be issued a uniform unless their class schedule is submitted to the Department of Music. The University is reviewing this situation and ways to ensure that band guidelines are followed."

Chuck Hobbs, the Tallahassee attorney representing ex-FAMU band director Julian White, said that the Marching 100 staff did its job by requiring the performers to bring in a copy of their fall semester class schedules before uniforms were distributed.

"It is not under the auspices of the band staff or the Department of Music to make final determinations as to verification of enrollment," he said.


Hobbs did not explain how staffers with the authority to verify enrollment could do so for the Marching 100 if the band’s staff didn’t submit lists of names to the FAMU, FSU, and TCC registrar’s offices each fall before handing out uniforms.  According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Hobbs claimed that under past administrations "additional controls were in place to verify band student enrollment through the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Registrar's Office."

White's lawyer added that when it came to the per-diem payments given to those who traveled with the Marching 100, "student numbers are sent with band rosters for band travel per diem requests first to the Athletics Department. The Athletics Department then sends the roster and travel per diem requests to the university Controller's Office as per university policy. When the allotments come back to the Department of Music from the Controller's Office, the band staff trusts that the ability to distribute funds disbursed for use by enrolled students have been verified by those with authority to do so."

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently investigating "possible employee fraud and misconduct" within the Marching 100. FAMU terminated White effective Dec. 22, but then halted the disciplinary action at request of the FDLE. White remains on paid leave on an indefinite basis as FDLE agents continue their investigation.

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Arrests raise question of whether Red Dawgs used Bus C as payback for previous hazing

Months after the hazing ritual that took Robert Champion’s life on Nov. 19, there are still questions concerning why he was beaten more severely than the other pledges that night. Christopher Chesnut, the attorney representing Champion’s parents, has said it was probably due to retaliation.

“Our investigation to date suggests from the witnesses we spoke to that Robert may or may not have been hazed more severely than other folks on the bus that evening in large part due, somewhat to, it’s retaliatory,” Chestnut said at a press conference. “Retaliatory not in the form that Robert was hazing himself. But from what we’ve learned is he may or may not have been hazed more severely because he was a stickler for the rules. Because in a culture of hazing, you kind of have to subscribe to it. Robert Champion was the poster child of anti-hazing.”

But the media spotlight on the Red Dawg Order has brought renewed attention to rumors that certain band members might have carried grudges against Champion because he had allegedly hazed them in the past.

ESPN, FOX 5 Atlanta, and the Florida Times-Union have all reported that Champion was a member of the Red Dawg Order, an unauthorized organization with a reputation for hazing.

“It was known that some viewed Champion as lame or a kiss-ass because of his outspoken opposition to hazing, although -- years earlier, as a freshman -- he'd been initiated into the Red Dawg Order, a sizable band subgroup of members from Georgia,” ESPN investigative reporter Mike Fish wrote.

Aaron Golson, 19, one of the 11 band students arrested on a felony hazing charge in the Champion case, also faces charges in the hazing of Red Dawg pledge Bria Hunter.

Two of the drum majors who were booked for felony hazing against Champion are also from Georgia. They are Former Head Drum Major Jonathan Boyce, 24, and Shawn Turner, 26. The FAMUan reported that Boyce and Turner were expelled from the university on Nov. 29 “in connection to the Robert Champion incident.”

The justice process requires that the full truth be known. If Champion previously hazed some of the individuals who are charged in his hazing homicide, that information should be shared with detectives and prosecutors. It could help give at least a partial explanation for the motive behind the crime.

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Fourth drum major faces hazing charges

The state attorney’s office for the Ninth Judicial District of Florida announced the names of two additional individuals who face misdemeanor charges for hazing other Marching 100 students.


The two defendants are Jarrod Deas, 23 (pictured first from the right), a drum major who recently graduated, and Jamon Green, 23, a piccolo player from Orlando. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “neither is accused of contributing to Champion's death, but instead are charged with hazing two other students who suffered through rituals aboard the same charter bus where [Robert] Champion, 26, died.”

Keon Hollis and Lissete Sanchez went through the “Crossing Bus C” ritual with Robert Champion on Nov. 19 in Orlando. They survived the beatings with their lives intact while Champion was attacked so severely that he died.

Three former Marching 100 drum majors were previoulsy booked for felony hazing charges in the Champion case. They are: Jonathan Boyce, Rikki Willis, and Shawn Turner.

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New round of arrests coming for remaining two “Crossing Bus C” hazing cases

Three FAMU Marching 100 students went through the “Crossing Bus C” hazing ritual on Nov. 19 in Orlando, Fla. They were: Lissette Sanchez, Keon Hollis (pictured), and Robert Champion.

Now that Florida authorities have arrested all 11 felony defendants in the Champion case, they are getting new sets of handcuffs ready for the individuals who allegedly hazed Sanchez and Hollis. The individuals accused of beating Sanchez and Hollis will face misdemeanor charges.

Two of the suspects in the Sanchez and Hollis cases were amongthose booked for hazing Champion. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “drum major Rikki Willis, 24, of Miami, is accused of misdemeanor hazing of Hollis, and Harold Finley, 20, of Riviera Beach, is accused of hazing Sanchez.”

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FAMU-TV 20 story picked up by ABC News

The quality reporting by FAMU-TV News 20 at Five reporters Rebecca Azor and Kiarra Hart has attracted the attention of one of the biggest news organizations in the country.

ABC News picked up a story that TV 20 ran on May 3 based upon an earlier report by Azor and Hart. The two students went to Decatur, Ga. on Nov. 30, 2011 to cover the funeral of FAMU drum major Robert Champion, a hazing victim. The important information from their report is now spreading to ABC News affiliates across the nation and world.

After Leon County, Florida deputies booked drum major Rikki Willis for allegedly hazing Champion, TV 20 re-posted his interview with Azor and Hart at Champion’s funeral. Willis and two other drum majors who face third degree felony charges in the Champion case marched in front of the casket of the man they are accused of helping to beat to death.

Rattler Nation did its part to spread awareness of the TV 20 exclusive by posting Azor and Hart’s original report on May 5.

Christina Ng, an ABC News digital reporter and field producer, ran a national story on May 7 based on Azor and Hart’s video footage. She used a screen shot from the TV 20 clip on Rattler Nation (pictured above).

Ng’s photo caption read: “In this image from a video on the Rattler Nation blog, members of the Florida A&M University marching band lead a horse-drawn carriage carrying the casket of Robert Champion on Nov. 30, 2011 in Decatur, Ga. Champion was found dead on Nov. 19 on a bus parked outside an Orlando, Fla. hotel after a Florida A&M football game. (Rattler Nation)”

The Champion tragedy has brought sadness throughout all of Rattler Country. Azor and Hart are proof that even in this tough time for the Rattler family, FAMU can still take pride in having the very best journalism program and broadcast reporting students in the United States.

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FOX 5 Atlanta investigates Champion’s reported membership in Red Dawg Order




An Associated Press article that ran on May 1 reminded readers that: “in a January interview with The Associated Press, [Robert] Champion's parents dismissed the notion that his sexual orientation brought on the [Nov. 19] attack, which was, to their knowledge, the first time he'd ever been hazed.”

WAGA FOX 5 Atlanta decided to investigate further and reported that “several band members tell us Champion was a member of a group called Red Dawg Order.” The Red Dawg Order is a group of Marching 100 members from Georgia.

FAMU officials haven't given the Red Dawgs authorization to act as a campus organization. Many Red Dawgs have chosen to violate the university's rules by recruiting members from within the Marching 100 and hazing them. 

The FOX 5 news story aired on Feb. 14 before the recent arrests in the Champion hazing case were made.

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Ensley holds U. of Miami to different hazing standard than FAMU

The latest FAMU bashing rant from Tallahassee Democratcolumnist Gerald Ensley says that James Ammons is still the university’s president because of race.

“This is about race — infuriating as that may be to read,” Ensley wrote. “This is about black people protecting black people.”

Ensley accuses FAMUans of protecting Ammons because he is black. He says that Ammons must go because “the ultimate responsibility for the death of Robert Champion falls on the FAMU president. Ammons has to resign or be fired.”

His column also suggests that prominent non-historically black universities would take drastic action against their administrations if they faced the same circumstances.

“If a student was killed by fellow students at Florida State University — or the University of Florida or UCLA or Harvard — supporters of those universities would demand accountability. The majority of supporters of any university would not let loyalty blind them to serious flaws within their university. They would demand change.”

Ensley omitted the University of Miami from his column. Donna Shalala, the current UM president, took office on June 1, 2001. On Nov. 4 of that year, 18-year old UM student Chad Meredith died from drowning during a hazing ritual led by the campus’ Kappa Sigma Fraternity. The Florida Legislature responded by passing the Chad Meredith Act against hazing in 2005.

Ensley’s column does not accuse Shalala of being responsible for the death of Meredith. He also does not make the claim that Shalala has remained in office because of some sort of racial protection issue, either. UM has personnel from many different ethnic groups (including white and Hispanic) and those individuals have an interest in maintaining their employment by holding Shalala's administration together. None of those groups received Ensley's criticism for "protecting" each other at UM.

The mention of Harvard in Ensley's column also ignores basic facts. In 2011, ex-Harvard student Brittany Smith pled guilty to being an accessory after-the-fact to an assault and battery that left Harvard student Justin Cosby dead inside a campus dormitory. Smith admitted that she helped her then-boyfriend (a non-Harvard student) hide the gun he used to shoot Cosby.

If Ensely was right, Harvard students and alumni would have ousted their president as a result of that student homicide that took place on university property. But they didn't.

The long, angry opinion piece by Ensley also makes lame attempts to compare the Champion homicide with the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State and the Trayvon Martin shooting.

Rattler Nation has addressed these types of ridiculous claims before on previous posts.

The Penn State incident involved an adult who allegedly took advantage of minor children. The individuals who have been charged with felony hazing crime in the Champion case death were his peers (college students).

FAMU’s big problem does not center on the need to do more to shield underage children from alleged adult predators. The key challenge on FAMU’s campus is finding a way to break the cycle of underground hazing traditions that adult college students pass down to other adult college students year-to-year. This is an issue that FAMU has publicly acknowledged and sought to address for years. But adult students continue to go through hazing in secret behind the administration’s back.

The witness account of Marching 100 member Keon Hollissuggests that Champion willingly contributed to the problem of secretive hazing. Hollis, a drum major who went through the “Crossing Bus C” initiation on Nov. 19th, said that he and Champion voluntarily submitted themselves to the hazing ritual.

Hollis’ account suggests that he and Champion did not tell the administration about their intent to go through the “Bus C” ritual because they did not want protection from it. The “Bus C” hazing took place on Nov. 19 because all the students involved WORKED AGAINST the administration’s efforts to protect them.

That also leads to another important difference between the Champion case and Martin case. Racial profiling is a one-sided problem. Hazing is typically a two-way street.

George Zimmerman started following Martin on Feb. 26 because he thought he looked suspicious. A black teenager’s decision to wear a hoodie or walk alone in a mostly white neighborhood should not be reasons for suspicion.

The completely unfounded suspicions against Martin led to the confrontation that took his life. Zimmerman’s unfounded suspicions about Martin were a one-sided problem.

Martin never did anything to contribute to the problem of racial profiling. But according to Hollis, Champion made a decision to contribute to FAMU's hazing problem.

If Gerald Ensley loses his Tallahassee Democrat job anytime soon, he shouldn't have any problem finding work as a newsletter writer for the Tea Party.

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Red Dawg pledge Bria Hunter didn't suffer a broken femur, after all

Bria Hunter, a former pledge for the Red Dawg Order, is back in the news.


Hunter filed a battery report with the FAMU Police Department on November 8. She said she was hazed while attempting to join the Red Dawg Order, an unauthorized group of Marching 100 students from Georgia whose members reportedly included now-deceased drum major Robert Champion.

Hunter’s police report led to the arrests of three men who allegedly fist-punched her and beat her with a metal ruler.

Numerous media organizations reported that Hunter suffered a broken thigh during the initiation process. But Hunter’s attorney is now saying that a medical report says otherwise.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

 Investigators recently learned that Hunter did not suffer a broken femur as police initially reported, a fact that could hinder prosecutors who must show that the victim suffered "serious bodily injury" from the hazing incident.

B.J. Bernstein, a lawyer for Hunter, told the Orlando Sentinel that her client required treatment for her injuries but acknowledged that medical records show that Hunter's leg was not broken.

"It does not take away from the hazing that occurred," Bernstein said in an email Friday. "It is particularly awful that one of Bria's assailants would be involved with Robert's death. Robert warned Bria that this hazing was like a cancer…"

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The Chance of Communicable Disease for a Dental Assistant


Dental Assistants need to make sure they fully understand the risk of communicable diseases. A communicable disease is one that is transmitted by saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids. Dental Assistants are at a very high risk because their hands come into contact with patient’s mouths all day long. This exposes them to saliva and often blood. While patients are asked to disclose information about communicable diseases including HIV, many choose not to. Some communicable diseases such as herpes form sores in the mouth and Dental Assistants need to be able to identify them. A Dental Assistant should assume every patient is contagious and take all precautions against infection.

Dental Assistants should always were gloves while working with patients. Even if they are only observing the procedure. This is because you never know what a normal procedure will turn into a crisis. The Dental Assistant will have to be able to jump in and assist at a moments notice. There is no time to stop to put on gloves, and it is not accepted in the dental field to perform any type of procedure without them.

If you feel that you have poked a hole in a glove, immediately throw it away and replace it. Do not take any chances. Communicable diseases can make you ill as the least or result in death at the other extreme. Since open sores are the most common way for communicable diseases to enter your body, make sure any such sore is completely covered with a bandage, band aid, or other covering that won’t come off with your gloves. Keep the sores covered until they have healed completely.

Another valuable way to prevent communicable diseases is to follow all safety procedures as outlined by the employer. If you are unclear, ask. Never take shortcuts, especially in the areas of sterilizing tools and the proper use of tools. This can lead to serious repercussions if other patients become infected with communicable diseases from dirty tools.

If you find that you have come into direct contact with saliva, blood, or other bodily fluids that could potentially lead to a communicable disease, wash the area immediately with soap and water. Many communicable diseases including the flu and the common cold can’t survive soap and water. You will also need to report the incident to your direct supervisor.

All dental facilities have policies and procedures in place for dealing with contact of saliva, blood, or other bodily fluids. It is important that you completely understand these policies and procedures from the first day of employment. Make sure you follow them completely if you do experience such contact. Most dental facilities will have the procedures written and in an easily accessible location for quick reference.

Working as a Dental Assistant is a fun and rewarding career choice. You will have the opportunity to work with many people and to learn more about the dental field. You will be required to perform a variety of duties as well as sit in on several types of dental procedures. It is important to remember that your safety is very important. Make sure you are aware of the risk of communicable diseases and follow all procedures for prevention as well as reporting if such contact does take place during your employment as a Dental Assistant.

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Final felony defendant in Champion case surrenders

Lasherry Codner, 20, the last of 11 felony defendants in the Robert Champion hazing homicide, turned herself in to deputies at the Orange County Jail today.


Codner and ten others are charged with third degree felonies in the Nov. 19 death of Champion. The maximum penalty for those who do not have prior criminal records will be six years of prison time.

Two additional individuals will be charged for misdemeanor hazing in the Champion case.

The full list of felony defendants is available after the jump.


Lasherry Codner, B/F, DOB 6/25/91, Orange County Jail
Ryan Dean, B/M, DOB 9/18/90, Leon County Jail
Jonathan Boyce, B/M, DOB 5/27/87, Leon County Jail
Aaron Golson, B/M, DOB 6/20/92, Gadsden County Jail
Jessie Baskin, B/M, DOB 10/27/91, Miami-Dade County Jail
Harold Finley, B/M, DOB 4/8/92, Palm Beach County Jail
Bryan Jones, B/M, DOB 10/27/88, Hillsborough County Jail
Benjamin McNamee, B/M, DOB 12/14/90, Miami-Dade County Jail
Shawn Turner, B/M, DOB 4/22/86, Gadsden County Jail
Caleb Jackson, B/M, DOB 09/10/88, Leon County Jail
Rikki Wills, B/M, DOB 04/03/88, Leon County Jail

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Golson's second hazing arrest brings Red Dawgs back into spotlight



Media reports have stated that FAMU students Aaron Golson and Robert Champion were both members of the Red Dawg Order, an unauthorized group of Marching 100 members from Georgia.

Golson's arrests in the hazing cases of Champion and Bria Hunter have brought the Red Dawgs back into the spotlight. Tallahassee police say that Hunter suffered a broken thigh and blood clouts after being fist-punched and beaten with a metal ruler during a Red Dawg pledging process.

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Drum majors booked in Champion homicide case marched at victim’s funeral


 
Jonathan Boyce, Rikki Willis, and Shawn Turner, who all were arrested for third degree felony hazing in the Robert Champion homicide case, marched in front of the casket of the man they are accused of helping to beat to death.

Boyce (the head drum major), along with Willis and Turner, were among one of five FAMU Marching 100 drum majors who served alongside Champion. Champion died on Nov. 19 in Orlando after being hazed aboard a bus parked at the band’s hotel.

On Nov. 29, President James H. Ammons announced that the university had expelled four students “in connection to the Robert Champion incident.”

The next day, on Nov. 30, five FAMU drum majors high-stepped in front of the horse-drawn carriage that carried Champion’s body to his funeral service in Decatur, Ga. Boyce, Willis, and Turner were among them. Willis told a FAMU TV 20 reporter that it was a “pleasure to have ever met” Champion.

On Dec. 5, The FAMUan newspaper later reported that it received official university documents confirming the identities of three of the four students.

According to FAMUan staffers, the students were: “Head Drum Major Jonathan Boyce, a 24-year-old senior from Marietta, Ga., along with fellow drum majors Shawn Turner, 25 of Atlanta, and Rikki Willis, 23 of Miami.”

Keon Hollis, another drum major who marched at Champion’s funeral, later told ESPN that he and Champion voluntarily submitted themselves to the “Crossing Bus C” hazing ritual on Nov. 19.

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Two more arrested in Champion case, bringing total to 10

Ten of the eleven suspects who face felony charges in the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion have turned themselves in to authorities. Jonathan Boyce, 24, (pictured left) and Ryan Dean, 21, (picture right) were the latest to be booked. Both surrendered at the Leon County Jail and posted $15,000 bonds in order to secure their releases.


Boyce is the third Marching 100 drum major to be arrested in the case. His fellow drum majors Shawn Turner and Rikki Willis turned themselves in earlier in the week. Back in December, The FAMUan reported that the three men had been expelled from the university on Nov. 29 “in connection to the Robert Champion incident.” The dismissals were temporarily lifted at the request of investigators.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger announced that the final felony defendant is a woman. She says the FDLE is in contact with her family in Georgia.

Two additional suspects will face misdemeanor charges in the Champion case.

The list of the ten defendants booked for felony charges is available below.

Ryan Dean, B/M, DOB 9/18/90, Leon County Jail (arrested today)

Jonathan Boyce, B/M, DOB 5/27/87, Leon County Jail (arrested today)

Aaron Golson, B/M, DOB 6/20/92, Gadsden County Jail

Jessie Baskin, B/M, DOB 10/27/91, Miami-Dade County Jail, bonded out

Harold Finley, B/M, DOB 4/8/92, Palm Beach County Jail

Bryan Jones, B/M, DOB 10/27/88, Hillsborough County Jail, bonded out

Benjamin McNamee, B/M, DOB 12/14/90, Miami-Dade County Jail, bonded out

Shawn Turner, B/M, DOB 4/22/86, Gadsden County Jail, bonded out

Caleb Jackson, B/M, DOB 09/10/88, Leon County Jail

Rikki Wills, B/M, DOB 04/03/88, Leon County Jail, bonded out.

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Scott might inject himself into pending civil lawsuit against FAMU



After vetoing $1.5M for FAMU’s Crestview Education Center and approving millions in budget costs that forced layoffs at the university, Gov. Rick Scott says he might inject himself an announced civil lawsuit against FAMU.

Reporter Mike Vasilinda interviewed Scott about the possibility of settling the civil lawsuit that family of Robert Champion plans to file against FAMU. Champion, a member of the Marching 100, died during a hazing incident that took place on Nov. 19 in Orlando.

Vasilinda says Scott told him that “when the time was ripe, he was willing to participate in settlement talks with Drum Major Robert Champion’s family.”

When Vaslinda brought the question to Scott, he made a comparison to the Martin Lee Anderson case. Anderson, 14-year African American boy, lost his life while in the custody of a Bay County juvenile boot camp in 2006. Video footage showed guards beating Anderson and forcing him to inhale ammonia before he died. A medical examiner stated that Anderson's cause of death was suffocation.

The Anderson family hired Tallahassee attorney Benjamin Crump and sued the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice for $40M. Since that department is managed by the governor, Gov. Charlie Crist negotiated an out-of-court settlement of $5M. The Florida Legislature approved a claims bill for that amount of money.

The legal authority in civil lawsuits against Florida public universities is different. Those cases are handled by legal counsels hired by each Board of Trustees. The governor is not the managing official for any public university and is not in charge of negotiating settlements with plaintiffs.

Scott’s statement about inserting himself into settlement talks concerning a pending civil lawsuit against FAMU represents another one of his attempts to gain power over the university's day-to-day affairs. He previously attempted to bully FAMU trustees into suspending the university president. He also pressured the university to postpone a planned anti-hazing task force in December and attacked the integrity of another Anti-Hazing Committee until five members resigned.

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Student arrested for Red Dawg Order hazing also booked for Champion hazing

Aaron Golson, 19, who was arrested in December for charges in an alleged “Red Dawg Order” hazing, also faces charges in the hazing death of deceased FAMU drum major Robert Champion.

Golson turned himself in to Gadsden County officials today. He faces a third degree felony charge in the Champion case. His arrest brings the number of individuals arrested for hazing Champion up to eight. A total of 13 people were charged on Wednesday.

In December, Golson was released on a $10,000 bail after being arrested for one county of felony battery and one count of hazing.

Police accused Golson of hazing Bria Hunter. Hunter suffered a broken thigh and blood clouts after being fist-punched and beaten with a metal ruler during an unauthorized initiation process for an underground group called the Red Dawg Order.

Reports by ESPN and the Florida Times-Union stated that Champion was a member of the Red Dawg Order, as well. The Red Dawg Order is said to consist of band students from Georgia.

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Seven of 11 Champion case suspects arrested


Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), says that seven of the 11 suspects in the Robert Champion homicide have been arrested.

Shawn Turner, 26, a drum major, turned himself in to Gadsden County officials. Jessie Baskin, 20, and Benjamin McNamee, 21, surrendered in Miami. Harold Finley, 20, surrendered in Palm Beach County.

Rikki Willis, another drum major, and Caleb Jackson turned themselves in yesterday in Tallahassee. Bryan Jones turned himself in last night in Tampa.

Plessinger announced that all but two of the seven defendants posted bail in the amount of $15,000 each in order to leave custody.

Authorities are still pursuing the suspects who remain at large. Plessinger told reporters that one is in Delaware and two others are in Georgia.

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