Former Michigan State University student is suing fraternity over alleged hazing rituals

EAST LANSING, MI — A former Michigan State University student has sued his fraternity in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan after he said the hazing left him with ongoing medical problems.

Connor Mui has sued Lambda Phi Epsilon, his MSU chapter, and three of its members after he said he was forced to smoke a “dangerous” amount of marijuana during a pledge.

He also claims that he was later forced to do callisthenic exercises all night without sleep.

According to court documents, Mui enrolled as a student in the fall of 2021 and accepted an offer.

He and other pledges were allegedly taken to a room in the fraternity house, where marijuana was passed from person to person.

Mui said he felt increasingly weak over the next two days, to the point where he could no longer walk.

He was hospitalized several times over the next few days, claiming that he suffered from nausea, vomiting and severe headaches and began hearing voices.

The lawsuit alleges that weeks later, Mui was forced to exercise at night without sleeping as another part of the pledging process.

He was subsequently diagnosed with exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which damaged muscle tissue enters the bloodstream and releases toxins into the blood.

Mui reported the hazing in December 2021 to the university, which determined that the fraternity had violated the school’s general student regulations.

The court documents allege that eight separate hazing incidents have caused serious injury or death at a Lambda Phi Epsilon chapter or caused the chapter to be suspended or closed since 2005.

The plaintiff alleges that the defendants violated Michigan’s Garret’s Law, which prohibits school hazing that involves the consumption of substances and physical activity with an unreasonable risk of harm.

The lawsuit names fraternity president Jiho Jackson Kang, pledge master Andrew Kim and Mui’s “big brother” Thane Yun as individual defendants.

Mui is seeking damages in excess of $75,000 and a jury trial.

News Channel 3 has reached out to the plaintiff’s counsel and Lambda Phi Epsilon for comment.

MSU released the following statement on the matter:

University policy strictly prohibits hazing. The university takes all claims of hazing seriously. Any student organization, group, or individual that engages in hazing may be subject to disciplinary action for violation of University policy, as well as criminal prosecution and/or civil action for violation of state and federal law. Together, we all play a role in promoting a safe, welcoming, and inclusive campus environment.