College student sues Alpha Phi Alpha, alleges hazing

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Kevin Hayes, a Bowie State University student, is suing a fraternity over violent hazings.

The $3 million lawsuit against Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. alleges that Hayes was abused and harassed as he tried to become a new pledge for the fraternity, according to a WUSA9 report.

Hayes says he was slapped and paddled by masked men. He says pledge nights were sometimes five to eight hours long. He has documented bruises from “punishments” for not learning fraternity processes the right way, but after he took the pictures, he was “bullied and threatened by members of APA and told to delete all photos and don’t tell what happened.”

Hayes’ mother says she spoke with fraternity officials who did nothing to help her son. The hazing and subsequent inaction in the face of Hayes’ allegations go against the stated anti-hazing policy on the fraternity’s website:

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. strictly prohibits hazing in any form whether physical or mental as a term or condition of membership in the organization. Pledging has been officially abolished as a means of obtaining membership in Alpha Phi Alpha and pledge ‘lines’ have been officially abolished by the Fraternity.

Hayes’ lawsuit is a means to hold the fraternity to their promise. “When you’re dealing with the issue of hazing, you usually don’t hear about it until someone dies,” Haye’s attorney, Jimmy Bell, said.

As for the school itself, the university would not comment on a lawsuit it is not a party in, but a spokeswoman did say this about hazing:

The university considers hazing to be indefensible and contrary to the interest of the university community. We work continuously with Greek and other student organizations to assure understanding that no activity that causes mental, physical or social harm will be tolerated.