Hazing Leads To Prison For Fraternity Brothers

A Florida judge said she wanted to send a message with the state's first prosecution under a new felony hazing law.

Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker gave two Florida A&M fraternity brothers two-year prison terms for paddling a pledge with wooden canes.

Dekker said one year terms might have been sufficient to punish the two Kappa Alpha Psi members but she added the second year to make sure their sentences served as a deterrent.

One of them was accused of paddling the pledge while the other urged the pledge to take the paddling and revived him when he passed out.