Bus 'pres' charged with felony in hazing

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ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- An ex-student who allegedly organized the beating that led to the death of a Florida college band member has been charged with felony hazing, court records say.

Dante Martin has already pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to a separate hazing aboard the bus on which Florida A&M University student Robert Champion died, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported.

Prosecutors with the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's office would not confirm the charges. However, a 20-page document revising the original hazing charges now lists Martin among 12 persons charged with felonies in the case, the newspaper reported.

Martin also faces two additional misdemeanor charges of hazing.

Officials say Martin was the acknowledged "president" of the bus on which rode percussion players for the marching band. As such, he organized hazings, officials say.

Investigators say that since they began looking into Champion's death, they have uncovered four other hazing incidents by band members that day.