Tallahassee, Florida- September 4, 2012
According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, documents have been filed stating that Dante Martin was arrested on August 30 in Hillsborough County, Fla. Detectives say Martin is charged with one count of felony hazing. Bond was set at $15,000 and Martin has already bonded out of jail.
Stay tuned to Eyewitness News and WCTV.TV for more on this developing story.
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Tallahassee, Florida- August 29, 2012
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The so-called "president" of the band bus on which a Florida A&M University band member was fatally beaten now faces a felony hazing charge.
The Orlando Sentinel cites recently revised court documents that now list 25-year-old Dante Martin as one of 12 felony defendants in the death of 26-year-old drum major Robert Champion last November.
The document, originally filed May 2, previously included 11 defendants charged with felony hazing.
Martin's attorney Richard Escobar told the newspaper prosecutors had told him they were considering the felony charge. Martin also faces two other counts of misdemeanor hazing.
Officials say Champion was punched, kicked and flogged as he tried to go from the front to the back of a charter bus after the annual Florida Classic football game against Bethune-Cookman Univeristy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tallahassee, Florida- August 17, 2012
FAMU's legal team is set to begin talks with Robert Champion's family attorney. Could mediation over the lawsuit in the 26-year-old drum major's hazing death end in a settlement?
The FAMU Board of Trustees voted to begin mediation with Robert Champion's family attorney regarding its civil suit against the university. When asked if FAMU will settle it, new Interim President Dr. Larry Robinson said it is a possibility.
Marching 100 Drum Major Robert Champion placed his life in his bandmates' hands during a hazing ritual. FAMU's interim president says the lawsuit over Champion's death is now in the hands of attorneys.
"Motion passes."
Thursday, the FAMU Board of Trustees authorized its legal team to start mediation with Champion's family attorney.
Said FAMU Interim President, Larry Robinson: "This is the way that the legal process works. So, we want to fully participate in that process. We'll see how that goes."
"We're optimistic that there will be change, that this new leadership will implement some new policies and procedures that protect students," said Christopher Chestnut, Champion family attorney.
New Interim President Dr. Larry Robinson says administrators have started implementing an Anti-Hazing Plan...
He says they're hiring a music department compliance officer, a special assistant to the president and a new band director.
"...Sometimes you don't have to reinvent the wheel," said Larry.
Dr. Robinson says he cannot share any specifics as far as any settlement figures. He says he does not know when mediation will begin, saying the attorneys could be meeting right now for all we know.
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