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Fraternity on Trial in Death of Pledge in Monroe County

STROUDSBURG — A fraternity headed to trial Monday for the hazing death of a pledge in Monroe County. Attorneys gave their opening statements in Monroe Cou...

STROUDSBURG -- A fraternity headed to trial Monday for the hazing death of a pledge in Monroe County.

Attorneys gave their opening statements in Monroe County in the trial of Pi Delta Psi fraternity. It's the actual Greek organization on trial for third-degree murder, not the members themselves.

The Pi Delta Psi organization is on trial for the hazing death of Chun "Michael" Deng.

The 18-year-old student at Baruch College in New York was killed during a hazing ritual at a home that members of the fraternity had rented in Coolbaugh Township back in 2013.

Authorities charged 37 members of the fraternity in the incident.

Four pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and are expected to be sentenced next month.

In court Monday, the prosecution recounted what happened to Chun "Michael" Deng back in December of 2013 -- the brutal hazing and how the brothers tried to cover it up.

The defense says the organization has a no-hazing policy and does not condone the acts that were committed by the members.

During testimony, the prosecution called several witnesses to the stand. Many were Pocono Mountain Regional police officers who responded to the Coolbaugh Township home the fraternity brothers rented.

The officers stated that during interviews, many of the members said, "they were asleep and didn't know what happened," and they didn't learn Chun "Michael" Deng was taken to the hospital until the next morning.

The trial is expected to last all week and officials say if the organization is found guilty, it faces fines and suspension of its rights to continue operating in the state of Pennsylvania.

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