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Nine members of a Florida State University fraternity have been charged in the November death of a fellow student after a grand jury found evidence to suggest the men engaged in practices similar to hazing, the Sun Sentinel reported. Andrew Coffey, a 20-year-old junior, was pronounced dead the morning after an off-campus party. He had a peak blood alcohol level of 0.558, nearly seven times the legal limit for driving.
The exact nature of the charges against the fraternity members was not revealed, but the grand jury report described an "expectation of abusive drinking" in the fraternity's culture and a "glib attitude" among the frat members that placed concerns about "getting in trouble" over saving Coffey's life.
Florida State officials suspended all Greek life after Coffey's death. In a statement Wednesday, President John Thrasher expressed support for the charges.
"These arrests are the first step in seeking justice for Andrew and his loved ones, and they will inform us on where we need to place our focus as we proceed,” Thrasher wrote. “Vice President Amy Hecht continues to work with our student groups in an effort to prevent further tragedy."
