Watch CBS News

Robert Champion hazing death charges to be filed in FAMU band case

FAMU hazing death was retaliation: parents
Florida A&M Marching 100 Drum Major Robert Champion at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Oct. 8, 2011 in Tallahassee, Fla. AP Photo/Don Juan Moore

(CBS/AP) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Criminal charges will be filed in the hazing death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion, authorities said Tuesday.  CBS News has learned that nearly a dozen people will face charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies.

Pictures: Florida A&M hazing case

Detectives say Champion suffered blunt trauma blows and that he died from shock caused by severe bleeding after he was hazed by other band members on a bus parked outside an Orlando hotel.

Since Champion's death, FAMU and other schools have been under intense scrutiny about how they handle complaints of hazing.

Complete coverage of the Florida A&M hazing case on Crimesider

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.