3 Plead No Contest Over UT Pledge’s 2005 Death

AUSTIN,TX.(AP) – A plea deal Tuesday means three leaders of a suspended University of Texas fraternity must serve probation over an alcohol poisoning death.

Eighteen-year-old “Jack” Phoummarath of Houston died in December of 2005. An investigation found the Lambda Phi Epsilon pledge died after ingesting large amounts of alcohol at a party at the frat house.

Three men pleaded no contest to hazing. Each received two years of deferred adjudication. Twenty-four-yera-old Benny Chan, 22-year-old Andrew Nguyen and 23-year-old Kamal Pulukuri had no immediate comment after court.

Each must also pay a $1,000 fine, do 100 hours of community service, take an alcohol awareness class and apologize to the victim’s family. The trio also will be interviewed for a video, targeting fraternities and sororities, on the dangers of hazing.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)