© 2025 WFSU Public Media
WFSU News · Tallahassee · Panama City · Thomasville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
WFSU-FM is currently broadcasting at reduced power. We apologize for this inconvenience. And remember, you can stream or listen to WFSU on the App.

Florida Supreme Court To Hear Appeal In FAMU Band Hazing Case

FAMU Drum Major Robert Champion died due to injuries sustained in a hazing ritual. His family is suing FAMU.
FAMU
Robert Champion

The Florida Supreme Court will take up an appeal by a former Florida A&M University band member. Dante Martin is serving a seven-year prison sentence for the hazing death of a drum major.

Martin received a 77 month prison sentence related to the death of FAMU Marching 100 drum major Robert Champion. Most of the other people involved in Champion’s death received probation and community service.

Champion was beaten during a hazing ritual in November 2011 aboard a band bus parked outside an Orlando hotel. Martin was the so-called President  of that bus. He was found guilty of manslaughter, felony hazing resulting in death and two counts of misdemeanor hazing.

The Florida Supreme Court says it will hear Martin’s appeal. His attorneys argue the state’s anti-hazing law is unconstitutional because the term “brutality” is undefined, and that the victim’s consent should have been taken into consideration.

Follow @HatterLynn

Lynn Hatter is a Florida A&M University and Florida State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master's in Professional Communication. Lynn has been with WFSU since 2007 with education and health care issues as her key coverage areas.  She has worked with several organizations, including Kaiser Health News.  Lynn has also partnered with USC-Annenberg's Center for Child Wellbeing on the nationally acclaimed series "Committed," which explored the prevalence of involuntary commitment use on children.
She serves on the board of RTDNA and the United Way of the Big Bend, with previous service on the board of the First Amendment Foundation of Florida.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories here.