Danny Santulli's ‘pledge dad’ may be headed to trial resulting from court hearing
The attorney for University of Missouri hazing defendant Ryan Delanty on Monday asked Judge Kevin Crane to repeat his statement during Delanty's hearing.
"It's going to be set for trial," Crane told attorney Mark Lee.
Delanty is charged with felony hazing of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity pledge Danny Santulli on Oct. 19, 2021. During the hazing event known as "pledge dad reveal night" Santulli was expected to drink a bottle of vodka, taped to his hands. During the night, Santulli collapsed and was unresponsive. Driven in a car by fraternity members to MU Hospital, personnel there resuscitated Santulli.
Delanty, of Ballwin, was Santulli's designated pledge dad. In a police statement in another defendant's case, a text message from Delanty to a friend reads "My son is dead."
The friend asked Delanty what he did in a text message.
"I left him," was Delanty's text response.
Santulli's brain was damaged by the incident and he's unable to speak, see or walk. He's receiving constant care by his parents at their home in Minnesota.
Before Crane moved the case to the trial request docket, Lee requested additional time.
"We did have the investigator who was looking to interview witnesses," Lee said.
A toxicologist also had been hired to review documents, Lee said.
"I think the problem is there's a large number of co-defendants," said assistant prosecutor Melissa Knerr.
Because of that, there's a large amount of discovery, she said.
Delanty is one of 10 defendants charged with felony hazing. One other is charged with misdemeanor hazing.
The defendants are divided among the judges in the different divisions, Knerr said.
"And none of these cases have gone to trial?" Crane asked.
"No, your honor," Knerr said.
No trial date has been scheduled and there may be other complications to prevent or delay a trial.
The fraternity has been removed from campus. Settlements have been reached in civil suits in the cases.
Delanty and Lee appeared by video in the court hearing.
Documents obtained by the Tribune through an open records request to MU show a history of hazing among fraternities and a concern at Phi Gamma Delta specifically of a "high tolerance for hazing" and a "bystander effect" in which fraternity members didn't take action when they saw hazing occur.
Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Judge places hazing case on trial docket, confusing defense attorney
