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Illinois high court OKs lawsuit in NIU student's 2012 death

Posted January 19, 2018 6:00 am

The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that the family of a Northern Illinois University fraternity pledge can proceed with a lawsuit involving his 2012 death from excessive drinking.

The (DeKalb) Daily-Chronicle reports the court Friday upheld a lower court ruling that David Bogenberger's family can't file a wrongful death lawsuit against the national chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha but they can sue the local chapter, its local members and local sorority women.

A Cook County judge dismissed the family's lawsuit in 2014, finding that a person providing or serving alcohol isn't responsible for consequences to the person who drinks it. However the high court said Friday that the 19-year-old died in an "alcohol-related hazing event."

Several former fraternity members were sentenced to community service and fines in a hazing case involving Bogenberger's death.

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Information from: The Daily Chronicle, http://www.daily-chronicle.com

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