3 Remaining Defendants In FAMU Hazing Case Set For Trial

ORLANDO, Fla. — The three remaining defendants charged in the death of a former FAMU drum major are set to go to trial this month.

The attorneys for Aaron Golson, Benjamin McNamee and Darryl Cearnel told Judge Renee Roche on Tuesday that they were ready for trial. Roche scheduled it to begin April 20.

All three men are charged with manslaughter and felony hazing in the November 2011 beating death of 26-year-old Robert Champion during a brutal hazing ritual aboard a parked bus following a football game. A total of 15 former band members faced charges.

Several took plea deals consisting of probation and community service. Purported ring leader Dante Martin became the first to receive prison time when he was sentenced in January to more than six years in prison.

Allison Leslie is a University of South Florida graduate with a bachelors degree in Mass Communications. She joined Genesis in 2016. With a passion for sports, Allison has interned with 620 WDAE, Pewter Report, Trifecta Team: St. Petersburg Bowl, Bullscast, and many other publications. Being a native to the Bay Area, she has followed and supported Tampa Bay teams her whole life.