TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Family members for the Florida State fraternity pledge, Andrew Coffey, who died of alcohol poisoning, have come to settlement agreements in his hazing death lawsuit.
The lawyer for the family says a settlement was reached with 13 of the 15 defendants named in the lawsuit and the settlement amount is confidential.
Coffey died after an off campus house party hosted by Pi Kappa Phi fraternity members.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The family of the fraternity pledge who died from alcohol poisoning in November has filed a civil suit against the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity as well as 12 frat brothers.
David W. Bianchi sent out this statement on behalf of the family:
"Today we filed suit on behalf of the family of Andrew Coffey who was the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity pledge who died from alcohol poisoning on November 3, 2017 at Florida State University."
The family is suing for damages in excess $15,000.
The lawsuit claims that the nine fraternity leaders indicted in Coffey's death, Brett Birmingham, Christopher Hamlin, Luke Kluttz, Anthony Oppenheimer, Anthony Petagine, Kyle Bauer, Clayton Muehlstein, Connor Ravelo and John Ray, were negligent in their handling of the incident.
The lawsuit asserts also that the chapter adviser for Beta Eta chapter, and two others, who owned the frat house, were also negligent and allowed the dangerous activities to take place.
According to the civil suit, all parties, to include Pi Kappa Phi itself, failed to enforce anti-hazing and alcohol abuse policies.
