Benjamin Brennan: Ex-San Diego State University student almost died due to hazing, sues fraternity
SAN DIEGO, CALIFRONIA: A former San Diego State University student is suing the off-campus Kappa Sigma fraternity and nine former members, claiming that he was "almost killed" during a hazing ceremony during which he had to consume dangerous amounts of alcohol and drugs. Benjamin Brennan's lawsuit said when he was a 19-year-old freshman, he was put in an almost-comatose state during a pledge.
Brennan further alleged that the fraternity members responsible "dumped his lifeless body ... while attempting to avoid responsibility." The lawsuit said that he was in a coma and two years later, at 21, he is still recovering.
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'He can't go back to school now'
The complaint stated, "Subsequently, hospital personnel found Plaintiff BRENNAN unconscious, vomiting and not protecting his airway. Plaintiff BRENNAN was placed on life support, intubated and was given a 1 % chance of survival by treating physicians due to his grave condition and Blood Alcohol Content Level of .489 which was recorded at some point in time long after BRENNAN had stopped consuming alcohol. Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC was also found in his system," per Fox News.
Brennan is now suing the national office of the Kappa Sigma fraternity in Charlottesville, Virginia, the San Diego State chapter and nine people who were part of it at that time. The San Diego chapter was disbanded by the state in 2020 due to a number of allegations of hazing and forcing people to drink alcohol. His lawyer James Frantz told ABC7, "He can't work, and we don't know if he'll be able to. He can't go back to school now. All those types of damages, and all the emotional distress damages he will suffer."
Frantz said, "There was a 750 ml bottle of Captain Morgan rum. He was instructed, he was commanded to drink it all. And, they provided tobacco and marijuana, and he was supposed to consume that as well."
Brendan Brennan's family demand justice
Brennan's stepfather, Kirk Gibson, and his mother, Lindsey, were left furious due to the incident. They reportedly said, "We want to see the bad behavior of this fraternity and its members stopped. This lawsuit is the only way we can send a message to Kappa Sigma and its members as well as other fraternities that allow this type of behavior."
“If this had not happened, Ben would be a junior at SDSU pursuing his business degree. Instead, this life-altering event left him physically and mentally injured and has sent him into a tailspin," they added, per Los Angeles Times.
Executive director of Kappa Sigma’s national office, Mitchell B Wilson, said in a statement, “We are aware of the pending lawsuit and once we receive it, we will review it closely. What happened to Benjamin Brennan is unacceptable under any circumstances, and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity has taken action against the individuals who were involved. As an organization, we continue to adamantly oppose hazing, the misuse of alcohol and placing the health and safety of any person at risk.”
