Dec. 20, 2007
A judge denied the "civil compromises" in the case against three former Beta Theta Pi members Dec. 17 and set a trial date for the case."Civil compromises" were made by two of the three men accused of hazing pledges during the spring 2007 semester. A discovery motion will be discussed Jan. 8 before the trial begins April 14, said Deputy District Attorney Michael Sanderson.
Chico State students Chris Bizot and Mike Murphy, The Orion's opinion editor, and Butte College student Matthew Krupp were charged with misdemeanors for allegedly hazing pledges.
Murphy and Bizot each offered the 13 pledges involved in spring recruitment a minimum $1 payment for any harm that may have been done to them.
The discovery motion allows the defendants to request the district attorney to show all of his evidence for the case, said Bill Mayo, Bizot's lawyer. The men's lawyers filed a request a few days ago to find out who the district attorney's witnesses are and statements.
Sanderson can take up to 15 days to provide the requested information, Mayo said. If he doesn't give the information to the requesting party within 15 days, the defendants can ask the court to order the district attorney to give his evidence to the opposing side at the discovery motion.
"It's not a game," Mayo said. "It's a way for everyone to lay their cards out on the table."
The defendants have a right to know what they are up against before the trial, he said.
This is like poker, and Sanderson is playing with his cards close to his vest, Mayo said.
"They make it tough to defend someone with our hands tied behind our backs," Mayo said.
Maegan Martens can be reached at mmartens@theorion.com
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