Photo courtesy Gillian Haley

James, Kathy and Gillian Haley smile following James' high school graduation in 1999 from Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix. James' parents are suing Phi Delta Theta fraternity for allegedly pressuring him to drink during rush initiations. Haley died in September of 2000 in an alcohol-related motorcycle accident.

Thursday September 6, 2001

Pledge's parents say he was pressured into drinking.

The family of a UA student who died in an alcohol-related accident last year have filed suit against the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity for allegedly pressuring him to drink during rush initiations.

The lawsuit alleges that James T. Haley, who died at the age of 19, was pressured by the fraternity into participating in a three-day drinking binge before crashing his motorcycle.

"It was a weekend of required binge drinking and fatigue. It's a combination of the parties and fatigue," Michael N. Poli, attorney for the family, said.

Haley had left the fraternity riding his motorcycle without a helmet on Sept. 5, 2000. At 1:50 a.m. He reportedly struck a tow truck at the intersection of North Cherry Avenue and East First Street and later died at a hospital.

An autopsy revealed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.102 percent at the time of the accident.

Reports said Haley was a pledge at the fraternity participating in an initiation involving a trip to Nogales, Sonora for drinking and other activities.

Sources said Phi Delta Theta is a non-alcoholic fraternity - a policy mandated by the national chapter office in Oxford, Ohio. Alcohol is banned from anywhere in the house but is allowed on locations off the fraternity's property - the rush initiation was sponsored by the house.

Both the University of Arizona and the Arizona Board of Regents have been named in the lawsuit.

"The fact that there was a death involved is tragic - we want students to have a good college experience," said Matt Ortega, spokesman for Arizona Board of Regents.

The president of Phi Delta Theta could not be reached for comment.