Phi Kappa Tau Brothers Face Hazing Charges for Pledge's Death

Rider University Officials Face Charges in Hazing Death

Three brothers of Phi Kappa Tau's chapter at Rider University, including it's president, have been charged in connection with the April death of one of the fraternity's pledges.

Gary DeVercelly, 18, who was originally from Long Beach, Calif., was pronounced dead at a hospital near Trenton, New Jersey. Local police took him and another student to the hospital when they received a call about a students vomiting after drinking a large amount of vodka; he was comatose by time they arrived and never regained consciousness.

DeVerCelly was a member of the Rider University's baseball team and a new member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.

At a Wednesday night party at the Phi Kappa Tau house, DeVercelly reportedly drank three quarters of a bottle of vodka in just 15 minutes.

In addition to the brothers charged were two university officials. The five charged in the incident are Ada Badgley, 31, the university's director of Greek Life; Anthony Campbell, 51, the dean of students; Adriano DiDonato, 22, Phi Tau's residence director and house master of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity house; Dominic Olsen, 21, pledge master of Spring 2007 pledge class; and Michael J. Tourney, 21, the fraternity's president.