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Homicide ruling in case of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion
Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion during a performance at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Oct. 8, 2011 in Tallahassee, Fla.
(Credit: AP Photo/Don Juan Moore)Champion, 26, had bruises to his chest, arms, shoulders and back, and suffered bleeding from soft tissues, causing him to go into shock, the medical examiner's office in Orlando said. The autopsy said Champion was vomiting before becoming unresponsive Nov. 19 aboard a band bus outside an Orlando hotel, after the A&M football team lost to a rival.
Champion's death led to the suspension of longtime band director Julian White and the end of band performances at least for the near future. Four students suspected of involvement in hazing were briefly expelled, but were reinstated after state police asked the school to stop any disciplinary action until a criminal investigation is finished.
Champion's death also triggered a criminal investigation by the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Any death involving hazing is a third-degree felony in Florida, but so far no charges have been filed.
Another band member, Bria Shante Hunter, suffered a broken thigh bone in early November after she says she was beaten during a hazing ritual. Three former band members have been arrested in that case.
Complete coverage of the Florida A&M hazing scandal on Crimesider
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