Two black fraternity brothers plead guilty in hazing death of Southeast Missouri U. student

Jet, Sept 19, 1994

Two Black fraternity brothers recently pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and hazing in the death of a pledge at Southeast Missouri University in Cape Girardeau.

Mikel Giles, 22, of Dallas, and Cedric Murphy, 22, of Memphis, TN, were sentenced in a St. Louis court room to 30 days in jail, five years probation and 500 hours of community service.

Prosecutor Morley Swingle said they should speak out against hazing at other colleges. The family of the victim, Michael A. Davis, wants them to work in a morgue.

"Maybe seeing bodies will make them remember what they did," said Marisa Hilliard, Davis' sister.

Davis, 25, was left unconscious in his room after he and four other Kappa Alpha Psi pledges were repeatedly beaten last February. Fifteen hours later, a pledge discovered that Davis had stopped breathing.

Giles and Murphy are among 16 defendants. Both agreed to testify against the others.

Fraternity member Keith Allen, 22, of St. Louis, was convicted earlier of five counts of hazing. Jurors recommended six months in jail on each count.