Log in to WRAL.com with one click using your favorite social network:
OR
Log in using your WRAL.com account:



Wrong email/password combination.

Forgot password?

Register with WRAL.com using your favorite social network:
OR
Register for a WRAL.com account using our web form.

Login Options

5:05 a.m. • 2-10-12

Weather Forecast for Raleigh

  • Today: Rain.
    • Hi: 58° F
  • Sat: Partly Cloudy.
    • Hi: 54° F
  • Sun: Clear.
    • Hi: 43° F

Other Locations

> 7 Day Forecast

Doppler Image

Marketplace Links

Social Links

Main Menu

Duke student to file complaint in hazing incident


e-mail print friendly
Duke student to file complaint in hazing incident
Duke student to file complaint in hazing incident

A Duke University student who claims he needed hospital care after a hazing incident during a fraternity event plans to file a complaint before a magistrate.

Student Daniel Klufas, of Easton, Conn., and his family have hired a lawyer and private investigator since the incident.

“Nobody else is willing to come forward to say anything except for me,” Klufas said.

On April 25, Klufas said brothers in Alpha Delta Phi, the fraternity he was pledging, made him take off his clothes while they threw cold water on him, according to attorney, Stephan E. Seeger of Stamford, Conn.

“It resulted in me having seizures, going into shock, hyperventilating,” Klufas said.

Klufas said the incident caused him to end up at Duke Hospital for treatment.

“I understand that it’s a fraternity that there’s stuff involved, but nobody expects to give their life for something like that,” Klufas said.

Seeger said when Klufas tried to report the incident to Durham Police, officers told Klufas he stood to be arrested as well, because a state statute says that anyone who engages in hazing can be charged.

“It was confusing to me how anybody can say you can be charged in connection with your own hazing,” Seeger said.

Seeger said he met with Duke University officials on Friday. Larry Moneta, Duke University vice president for Student Affairs, said he could not confirm the meeting or provide any other information about the situation due to federal law.

Seeger and his client plan to file a complaint with the magistrate against a particular individual by Sunday. Seeger said the state statute allows people to bring complaints before a magistrate judge to determine probable cause.

“My understanding is that if probable cause is found, they’ll have to investigate, and we won’t have to speculate any further what motivates the police department or the district attorney’s office to not pursue the matter,” Seeger said.

Seeger also said a civil lawsuit might be filed.

“This is an egregious thing that’s happened,” Seeger said.

Durham County District Attorney David Saacks could not be reached for comment.

A Duke spokesman in May said that federal law prevents the university from commenting on these types of situations. In general, if a hazing complaint is filed, the university investigates and determines if students should be punished.

Duke has a policy against hazing, with the maximum penalty being expulsion.

The national Alpha Delta Phi Web site lists a chapter at Duke University, but that chapter is not listed on the university’s Web site as an affiliated fraternity.

Klufas left Durham shortly after the incident. Seeger said university officials made arrangements to allow Klufas to finish his coursework. He was in Durham this weekend to take final exams to complete his freshman year at the university.

Klufas is still a Duke student but said he is unsure if he will return to the school next semester.

RELATED TOPICS: Durham County, Durham, Duke University

e-mail print friendly

13 Comments


WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

View Comments VIEW ALL 13 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments
Is this a GAY frat?

Having males get undress then throw water on them....sounds more like someone has a fetish and they call it hazing.

If being "brave" is the case, the young man should have bowed out and elected NOT to subject himself to the ice water treatment in the first place. Like a previous poster wrote, unless he was kidnapped and held against his will, he participated and allowed the members to douse him with the water.

Hazing has been on the law books for 30+ years of which I am aware, but as we already know from the lacrosse case, the Durham Sturmfuhrers would rather harass innocent students than prosecute actual crimes........that said, why would anyone want to join a fraternity anyway?

Throwing ice water on someone? Really, come on, is that what got hazing into the news. I think not. Seems pretty tame to me.

Gotta be $$$$$$$$$ in his heart. No other reason.

I don't know the laws/rules in North Carolina, but fraternity members who inflict actions that can be considered hazing on another person CAN be prosecuted. Depending on the severity, they usually get off with probation and community service, but it is on their record. People have died because of hazing actions when they were trying to get into a fraternity. There is a reason that hazing is outlawed. Unlike many of you, I do not think that this young man is "whining".... I think he is being quite brave by standing up against the fraternity's actions.

View Comments VIEW ALL 13 COMMENTS
Report It

Multimedia

Click Here