Suit: Iowa’s Drake U., Fraternity Negligent in Dangerous Hazing Event

February 19, 2020

A student is suing Drake University in Des Moines, along with a fraternity at the school and several fellow students for an unspecified amount after he said he nearly died from a hazing incident.

Court documents filed Feb. 7 show Marcus Shields is suing the school, Theta Chi fraternity, its Drake chapter and others. The lawsuit says Shields was a 19-year-old freshman last year and a Theta Chi pledge when the fraternity engaged in hazing, included coercing and forcing him to drink excessive amounts of alcohol.

The lawsuit says Shields became dangerously drunk and was vomiting and pleading that he “didn’t want to die.”

Shields says in the lawsuit that he lost consciousness and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he had to be resuscitated due to acute alcohol poisoning. His lawsuit says he suffered severe and permanent injuries.

Shields’ lawsuit says both Drake and Theta Chi were negligent, accusing Drake of failing to enforce its anti-hazing policy and the fraternity of failing to supervise the Gamma Tau chapter.

Drake University issued a statement noting the incident was off-campus and that it provided “appropriate assistance and support” to Shields. The fraternity issued a statement saying it does not tolerate hazing.

Topics Lawsuits Iowa

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Latest Comments

  • February 20, 2020 at 8:10 am
    rob says:
    I was never a frat guy in college. However, the statement that "all fraternities...think hazing is necessary" is patently false. There are several service and professional fra... read more
  • February 19, 2020 at 4:09 pm
    Common Sense says:
    Peer pressure Perplexed. Ban all fraternities because they think hazing is necessary.
  • February 19, 2020 at 3:25 pm
    Perplexed says:
    No one can MAKE you drink until you die. You can walk away. I know a multitude of college age young people that would not let this happen. Teach your kid how to say no with... read more

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