District Judge Hasbrouk Jacobs on Monday cautioned and attorney for an MU fraternity hazing defendant that after April’s hearing, he will move cases to a trial docket if they’re not resolved.
The judge made his statement during a hearing for Samuel Gandhi, of St. Louis, charged with felony hazing of University of Missouri Phi Gamma Delta pledge Danny Santulli on Oct. 19, 2021. The fraternity, now banned from MU, also was known as Fiji.
The hazing caused alcohol poisoning resulting in brain damage for Santulli. Unable to walk, talk or see, Santulli is being cared for by his parents at their home in Minnesota.
University of Missouri documents obtained through an open records request show hazing and alcohol abuse is a regular occurrence in campus fraternities.
Gandhi is one of 11 charged with Santulli’s hazing and one of 10 charged with a felony.
The police statement that led to the charges against Gandhi included his text messages to fraternity members reminding them of the event called “Pledge Dad Reveal Night” and of the alcohol that would be at the fraternity house.
Also included is a text from Gandhi to another co-defendant on April 20 stating that when Santulli sat up, he put Santulli’s head over a trash can.
“He didn’t vomit so we laid him back down with his head propped up,” Gandhi’s text in the police statement. “He sat up and talked for a bit before passing out again.”
Gandhi provided bulk amounts of alcohol for the event, the statement reads.
Gandhi’s attorney, William Hamilton, said he’s been trying to schedule depositions with assistant prosecutor Nick Komoroski, but Komoroski has been busy preparing for a murder trial.
Jacobs asked Hamilton if he’s been working with other co-defendants.
“Somewhat, yeah,” said Hamilton.
Jacobs set Gandhi’s next hearing for April 24.
“After that I’m going to start looking at trial dates,” Jacobs said. “If you all are going to depos, take care of that.”
An attorney for another hazing defendant in a recent hearing said Komoroski plans to go to trial with the two defendants with whom he would have the strongest cases, but he didn’t identify the defendants.
The first two defendants charged with felony hazing were Ryan Delanty, Santulli’s designated “Pledge Dad,” and fraternity member Thomas Shultz.
MU has punished 13 members of the fraternity.