HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – A federal lawsuit has been filed against the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity after lawyers said a former student was injured during a hazing incident.

According to the lawsuit, Rafeal Joseph had to go to the emergency room twice with injuries that required one surgery and a blood transfusion. The injuries left Joseph unable to walk.

Court documents stated that the abuse began in December 2022 when Joseph pledged with USM’s Nu Eta chapter of Omega Psi Phi. His attorneys said Joseph and other pledges were subjected to “severe abuse,” which included intimidation, denying pledges sleep and food, stealing money for the pledges and beating them repeatedly with a 2×4 plank of wood.

The lawsuit claimed that on April 17, 2023, the abuse culminated with the fraternity’s “Hell Night” ritual when members beat Joseph severely. His attorneys said Joseph had to spend nearly 11 days in the hospital and had to relearn how to walk.

According to the lawsuit, leadership at USM were aware of the abuse and did not help either Joseph or his abusers.

“We see violent incidents like these time and again across the nation but, instead of taking action, fraternity leaders and university officials alike sweep it under the rug and write it off as ‘boys will be boys,’” said Attorney Bakari Sellers. “This isn’t youthful indiscretion. This isn’t tradition and it sure isn’t brotherhood. It’s criminal violence and abuse and it needs to end.”

WJTV 12 News reached out to USM and Omega Psi Phi for a statement. As of publication, we have not heard back.