Forensic Inspection Planned At Penn State Frat House Accused Of 'Cruel And Violent' Hazing

A Penn State frat house that was shut down in May will be subject to a forensic inspection as part of ongoing litigation between the university and a whistleblowing student, lawyers announced Wednesday.

Virginia resident James Vivenzio has sued the university because he endured what he felt was life-threatening hazing as a member of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity.

Lawyers for Vivenzio plan to conduct a basement-to-attic inspection of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity house, which has been identified in Vivenzio’s lawsuit as the site of “rampant, illegal, violent hazing activities.”

Penn State University has said it “strongly disputes” allegations lodged by Vivenzio, including that school officials were aware of sexual assault and hazing at the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity.

According to pre-trial discovery documents, the inspection of the Kappa Delta Rho frat house in State College will be done in September.

Aaron J. Freiwald, Esq., Vivenzio’s lead attorney, said the site inspection is an important part of the pre-trial fact-finding process.

“We will appropriately and methodically inspect the premises, with Mr. Vivenzio and a forensic team in attendance, to document the various areas in the house where he and other pledges were subjected to cruel and violent hazing,” Freiwald said.

In his lawsuit, Vivenzio says he went to police for fear that someone would die from the hazing, which included being force-fed buckets of liquor mixed with urine and vomit. In May, Penn State announced it had shut down Kappa Delta Rho for a “persistent series of deeply troubling behavior,” including the creation of two secret Facebook pages allegedly showing photos of nude women.

A university investigation revealed members of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity engaged in hazing activities and sexual harassment, according to a statement from Penn State issued when the fraternity was shut down for three years.

The investigation into the fraternity was launched in March, after allegations surfaced that its members created private Facebook pages to share photos of naked woman, including females who are passed out, sleeping and even vomiting.

Freiwald Law, P.C. has created a website dedicated to the issue. End Hazing Now is aimed to keep the public abreast of the latest developments happening in the case.