Family suspects hazing
in Wabash death

CARMEL, Ind. (WLFI) - The lawyer for the family of Johnny Smith, a Wabash college freshman who died last month, released emails today from his student account during a press conference in Carmel.  He said they describe "an out-of-control fraternity house where hazing and alcohol abuse were rampant."
 

18-year-old Johnny Smith from Tucson, Arizona, pledged Delta Tau Delta on the Wabash campus. He was found dead at the fraternity house there October 5th. The autopsy stated he died from acute alcohol poisoning.
 

 "He got to a point where he had a lethal dose of alcohol in him, five times the legal limit. That is an enormous amount of alcohol," said attorney Stephen Wagner.
 

Smith's mother found several emails in Johnny's student account  after his death that the family's attorney, Wagner said exposed the culture of the fraternity.
 

 "They paint a picture of a frat house that is out of control. There is numerous references to hazing, underage drinking, and binge drinking an disrespect for women and this is the type of environment Johnny was in," he explained.

The three emails released are filled with explicitives, but one of the emails said there was a party planned for the weekend Smith died. It reads "There will be an abundance of alcohol" and "Freshman, it's up to Tex if you can drink or not."  Wagner said Johnny's family wants to know how he died.

"Wabash conducted it's own investigation and kicked Delta Tau Delta of campus, but they refused to share with the family the results of their investigation, so at this point we don't know if his death was a direct cause of a hazing incident, compelled drinking, or whether it was this wild atmosphere where 18-years-olds are able to drink to access," he said.

Wagner said the Smith's want other parents to be aware of what is happening at Wabash College and hopes administrators will change the only rule on campus, the Gentleman's rule where students must behave like gentleman at all times.

"The gentleman's rule is no rule," said Wagner.  "There is no conduct police and based on these emails and the culture of alcohol abuse and hazing it appears the Gentleman's Rule is not working."

News Channel 18 contacted both Wabash College and the Delta Tau Delta national organization and neither had any comment on the emails.  The family is asking anyone with information about how Johnny Smith died to come forward.