Henry Nesbitt, the Marching 100 student who called 911 on Nov. 19 in an attempt to save Robert Champion’s life, says he knows the name of the individual who oversaw the Bus C hazing rituals.According to Nesbitt, the unofficial president of Bus C was Dante “Bolo” Martin (pictured). Nesbitt claims that Martin led the “Cross Bus C” rite of passage.
Martin, 24, is a psychology student from Tampa. He played the snare drum.
Champion collapsed and died after being hazed on Bus C.
Keon Hollis, another drum major who underwent the Bus C ritual on Nov. 19, said he and Champion voluntarily subjected themselves to the hazing process because they wanted to win the respect of the percussion section.
According to Hollis’ interview with ESPN, it is hard for drum majors to exercise any authority among their peers until they had “crossed” Bus C and won the approval of the drummers. Numerous Marching 100 members allegedly talked back to Champion when he gave orders.
ESPN investigative reporter Mike Fish also reports some interviewees told ESPN “the Bus C hazing culture often was on display at the annual banquet during the introduction of drum majors. For those yet to cross, the percussionists had been known to break into a chant of ‘No license, no license’ -- meaning the drum major hadn't gone through the Bus C initiation.”
