Months after the hazing-related death of LSU freshman and Phi Delta Theta pledge Max Gruver, the Louisiana house criminal justice committee approved a bill that would increase fines and jail time for hazing convictions.
Gruver’s parents, Rae Ann and Stephen Gruver, told committee members that the measure could be a deterrent that keeps other families from experiencing their pain.
“We wake up every day knowing that part of our family is gone, and part of our heart is missing,” Rae Ann Gruver said, fighting back tears. 
Under current law, hazing is a misdemeanor and carries a maximum 30 day jail sentence and a fine of up to $100 dollars.
But Lafayette Republican Nancy Landry’s bill, now named the Max Gruver Act, would make hazing a felony and allow judges to sentence those convicted to up to 6 months jail time with a $1,000 dollar fine.
If a hazing victim suffers a serious injury or passes away, the penalty would increase to up to five years in prison and a maximum $10,000 dollar fine.
“The current law is not a deterrent,” Stephen Gruver said. “This bill will make it a deterrent and max’s name will help with the education.”
Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore, who is overseeing the Gruver case, says the bill would allow prosecutors to seek hazing charges and be comfortable with its penalties, instead of seeking stronger charges of negligence that are more difficult to prove.
“This encapsulates it all into one statute,” Moore. “It’s more appropriate, it’s easier for people to understand, it’s easier for a jury to understand. it’s the right thing to do.”
The bill would also hold organizations and university administrators liable should they fail to report hazing incidents. Landry says the bill is a step toward instituting a culture change in Louisiana.
“We want Max’s name to be the last name on that sad list on Wikipedia – that sad list of hazing deaths. We want it to end and for people to be able to bond and join clubs without sadistic rituals that kill people,” Landry said. 
The bill now moves to the house floor for debate, and most legislators say they expect it to pass. 

SIX MONTHS AFTER THE HAZING-RELATED DEATH OF LSU FRESHMAN AND PHI DELTA THETA PLEDGE MAX GRUVER, THE LOUISIANA HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE APPROVED A BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE FINES AND JAIL TIME FOR HAZING CONVICTIONS.

MAX GRUVER’S PARENTS, RAE ANN AND STEPHEN GRUVER, TOLD COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT THE MEASURE COULD BE A DETERRENT THAT KEEPS OTHER FAMILIES FROM EXPERIENCING THEIR PAIN.

205 2:52: “We wake up every day knowing that part of our family is gone, and part of our heart is missing.”

RIGHT NOW, HAZING IS A MISDEMEANOR AND CARRIES A MAXIMUM 30 DAY-JAIL SENTENCE AND A FINE OF UP TO $100 DOLLARS.

BUT LAFAYETTE REPUBLICAN NANCY LANDRY’S BILL, NOW NAMED THE MAX GRUVER ACT, WOULD MAKE HAZING A FELONY AND ALLOW JUDGES TO SENTENCE THOSE CONVICTED TO UP TO 6 MONTHS JAIL TIME WITH A $1,000 DOLLAR FINE.

IF A HAZING VICTIM SUFFERS A SERIOUS INJURY OR PASSES AWAY, THE PENALTY WOULD INCREASE – UP TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON AND A MAXIMUM $10,000 DOLLAR FINE.

125 7:15 “The current law is not a deterrent. This bill will make it a deterrent and Max’s name will help with the education.”

BATON ROUGE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HILLAR MOORE, WHO IS OVERSEEING THE GRUVER CASE, SAYS THE BILL WOULD ALLOW PROSECUTORS TO SEEK HAZING CHARGES AND BE COMFORTABLE WITH ITS PENALTIES, INSTEAD OF SEEKING STRONGER CHARGES OF NEGLIGENCE THAT ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO PROVE.

125 3:28 “This encapsulates it all into one statute. It’s more appropriate, it’s easier for people to understand, it’s easier for a jury to understand. It’s the right thing to do.”

THE BILL WOULD ALSO HOLD ORGANIZATIONS AND UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS LIABLE SHOULD THEY FAIL TO REPORT HAZING INCIDENTS. LANDRY SAYS THE BILL IS A STEP TOWARD INSTITUTING A CULTURE CHANGE IN LOUISIANA.

“WE WANT MAX’S NAME TO BE THE LAST NAME ON THAT SAD LIST ON WIKIPEDIA. THAT SAD LIST OF HAZING DEATHS. WE WANT IT TO END AND FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BOND AND JOIN CLUBS WITHOUT SADISTIC RITUALS THAT KILL PEOPLE.

THE BILL NOW MOVES TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR DEBATE, AND MOST LEGISLATORS EXPECT IT TO PASS. FOR LSU’S MANSHIP SCHOOL NEWS SERVICE, I’M MATT HOUSTON.

STEPHEN GRUVER READ AN EXCERPT FROM ONE OF HIS SON’S JOURNAL ENTRIES THAT HELPS TO SUMMARIZE THE FAMILY’S MISSION MOVING FORWARD.

District Attorney Hillar Moore