Peanut butter was used in an alleged hazing incident, causing a severe allergic reaction.
Every now and again the issue of hazing makes the news and there is enormous outcry to follow. People take to social media in droves, claiming that hazing should be forbidden and severely punished by the schools where it takes place. It is already illegal in almost every state in the U.S., and yet it continues to take place at universities and Greek clubs across the nation. In one recent incident, a young man is said to have come very close to dying as a result of hazing, though there is apparently a lot more to the story that we don’t yet know.
Police records show that 20-year-old Dale Merza of Rochester Hills, MI has been charged with misdemeanor hazing in the wake of a near-lethal peanut butter incident. If convicted, he could face up to 93 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. According to his defense attorney, this isn’t likely. Why? Because apparently Merza is completely innocent of wrongdoing. Merza’s attorney says the whole thing has been blown out of proportion, with people making false accusations and pursuing trumped up charges.
Andrew Seely’s mother disagrees. Seely, the victim of the alleged hazing ritual has a deadly peanut allergy. When his face was liberally smeared with peanut butter in what the Isabella County prosecutor is describing as an illicit hazing ritual, he reacted violently and was hospitalized. In a Facebook post his mother made after she was finally told, months after the event, she claimed that he could have died.
The incident took place at an off-campus fraternity, Alpha Chi Rho, which was banned in 2011 from official recognition by Central Michigan University for hazing incidents. Apparently peanut butter was smeared all over Seeley’s face, causing an anaphylactic reaction. However, the incident was not reported, and the alleged victim’s mother was not told about it for several months afterwards. The University is located in Isabella County, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
In fact, Seeley didn’t tell his family what had happened that night until about five months later.
His mother says that she has no idea why he would have kept it from them for so long. In addition to the delayed reporting, witnesses in Mt. Pleasant say that Seeley and Merza were seen communicating after the incident and no one assumed that there was a problem between them.
A statement released by the National Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho made it very clear that the fraternity did not support what had happened, and they distanced themselves from the ‘unrecognized’ chapter. “Alpha Chi Rho is appalled and upset by the actions taken by individuals against Andrew Seely. … Alpha Chi Rho does not condone this type of behavior — or any form of hazing — and it stands in conflict with our mission to cultivate men of character, honor and integrity.”
Merza’s defense attorney says that the family of the victim is blowing the incident way out of proportion and that because they weren’t there, they have no idea about what really happened. He insists the incident had nothing to do with hazing, and that when the trial happens in Isabella County Trial Court, the truth will make everything completely clear.
The fact is that Merza’s attorney is correct. We weren’t there when it happened, and we have no idea what really took place that night. We point this out simply to remind our readers that until all of the details are available, we advise not making decisions or judgments about the situation. There is a lot of information that is often withheld until a trial, and things can look very different when you know all of the details. So it would be best to wait and see how this case unfolds before pointing fingers or making assumptions. Every defendant in America is presumed to be innocent until there is proof of guilt, beyond a reasonable doubt.
Until then, if you or a loved one have been accused of being involved in a hazing incident in Michigan, or any criminal activity, contact our office immediately to speak with an experienced crminal defense attorney now. We have spent decades successfully defending our clients against false claims, trumped up charges, and criminal allegations. Call 866 766 5245 today. We have been protecting the rights of Michiganians for decades. We can protect yours too.