Rider Phi Tau President Denies Hazing in Pledge's Death

Rider Frat Leader Denies Hazing Charge

The president of Rider University's Phi Kappa Tau chapter says he had nothing to do with the hazing death of pledge last spring.

Three brothers of the fraternity, including it's president Michael J. Tourney, 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 other four 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; and Dominic Olsen, 21, pledge master of Spring 2007 pledge class.