Ryan Dean, a co-defendant in the 2011 hazing death of Robert Champion, has provided police an eyewitness account of the FAMU drum major’s death, the Orlando Sentinel reports. His statement was released on Friday. Dean received probation and community-service for his role in the crime
His statement provides a blow-by-blow of events and puts names and faces to those charged with punching and kicking Robert Champion right before he died.
In his statement, Dean identifies the only female charged, defendant LaSherry Codner who, he says, punched Champion and held him back from reaching the rear of the bus while Champion got kicked and punched by the other band members. Dean also names Benjamin McNamee who reportedly held onto the rails of the bus and repeatedly kicked Champion after he had fallen into a seat.
According to the Orlando Sentinel Dean stated that hazing had been occurring for years at FAMU.
Read more at the Orlando Sentinel.