MU hazing defendant Blake Morsovillo granted more time to work out deal with prosecution
As trial dates are set and plea agreements are made with several other University of Missouri hazing defendants, a judge on Monday granted Blake Morsovillo and his attorney more time to work out a deal with the prosecution.
Morsovillo, of Springfield, was in court with attorney Richard Hicks. Hicks consulted with an assistant prosecutor before the hearing.
He is charged with felony hazing related to the Oct. 19, 2021, hazing of MU freshman Danny Santulli. Santulli was a pledge to the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. With other pledges, he was required to drink large quantities of alcohol.
A surveillance video of the night shows Santulli collapsing after drinking beer from a tube connected to a funnel, into which someone poured beer, known commonly as a beer bong.
An unresponsive Santulli was taken by a private car to MU Hospital, where personnel resuscitated him. The alcohol poisoning caused brain damage and he is unable to see, speak or walk. He's being cared for by his parents at their home in Minnesota.
Settlements from civil lawsuits with the fraternity and its members are paying for Santulli's long-term care.
Morsovillo is one of 10 initially charged with felony hazing, with one other charged with misdemeanor hazing.
"Well, judge, this is another request for continuance," Hicks said to Judge Hasbrouck Jacobs, explaining that he was trying to work toward an agreement with the prosecution.
"It sounds like the state is working on things," Jacobs said.
Jacobs set the next hearing for 9 a.m. Aug. 28, telling Morsovillo to be in court in person again.
In other cases, trial dates have been set for Samuel Morrison, Sept. 26; Ryan Delanty, Dec. 5; Samuel Lane, Dec. 19; Benjamin Parres, Jan. 23, 2024; and John O'Neill, Jan. 30, 2024.
Benjamin Karl is scheduled for a three-day trial in Boone county in January 2024, with a jury brought in from Warren County. The dates have not yet been specified.
Thomas Shultz, Harrison Reichman, Samuel Gandhi and Alec Wetzler so for have pleaded guilty, with the pleas of Schultz and Reichman resulting from plea agreements. Wetzler will be sentenced Aug. 3.
Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at MU closed after university officials removed its recognition of the fraternity.
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: Six MU hazing cases now set for trial, with pleas so far in four
