Posted on 10/05/2004 3:41:13 PM PDT by FatLoser
By Jim Hughes
Denver Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - University of Colorado freshman Lynn "Gordie" Bailey died from acute alcohol poisoning with a blood-alcohol level of 0.328 percent, the Boulder County coroner's office announced Monday.
Bailey, 18, died after a Sept. 16 ritual for the Chi Psi fraternity involving wine and whiskey, Boulder police said.
There were no other drugs in Bailey's system, according to coroner Tom Faure, who has ruled the death an accident.
Faure's findings "speak for themselves," said Bailey's mother, Leslie Lanahan.
"They say what a tragedy this is."
The drinking that day started about 9 p.m., and Bailey was passed out by 11 p.m., police said. If Bailey's weight estimated by the person who called 911 - about 230 pounds - is accurate, Bailey drank the equivalent of nearly 22 beers during those two hours, according to an online blood-alcohol level calculator.
On Sept. 5, Colorado State University sophomore Samantha Spady died from alcohol poisoning in Fort Collins. Spady, 19, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.436 percent.
Bailey's family members said Monday that they are unhappy with CU's response to his death.
"They invite these kids up there, to the No. 1 party school, and then they avoid all responsibility of integrating these kids into the community. There's no responsibility or leadership," said Michael Lanahan, Bailey's stepfather. "We don't see anyone at this point trying to do the right thing. They're just circling the wagons."
CU-Boulder Chancellor Richard Byyny last week said the university would be implementing a series of reforms, ranging from an end to fraternities' recruitment of freshmen in the fall semester to new training and educational programs for CU personnel and students.
"We are committed to doing everything we can to prevent such a tragedy from happening again," Byyny said Monday in a news release.
Bob Maust, who chairs CU's standing committee on substance abuse, said he hoped the two recent deaths in Colorado will help college students realize the dangers of binge drinking.
"We just keep refusing to acknowledge as a society that alcohol, by definition, is a toxin," Maust said. "You don't have to be drinking and driving, or operating a power tool, or getting into a fight or anything like that. You can just sit down and drink yourself to death."
In his regular monthly radio address Monday morning, before Faure's announcement, Gov. Bill Owens emphasized that alcohol abuse is not unique to college campuses.
Everybody shares some responsibility for the problem, he said.
"I'm not ... typically one who has socialized guilt," he said. "But we do ... not provide the right role models, and some parents aren't teaching their kids how to drink responsibly or to stay away from alcohol completely."
Police in Boulder are still interviewing Chi Psi members and other students as they investigate Bailey's death, Chief Mark Beckner said Monday.
The fraternity's national organization has suspended the local chapter, pending the results of internal and police investigations.
Staff writer Erin Cox contributed to this report.
Staff writer Jim Hughes can be reached at 303-820-1244 or jhughes@denverpost.com .
Everybody shares some responsibility for the problem, he said.
Sorry Guv. the only person responsible is the guy drank all that booze. I feel bad for his family but don't lay this on society.
I blame the parents for not teaching their son to drink responsibly.
Why didn't they tell him that one can overdose on alcohol.
Must have had crappy cards. Know your limits people.
Sorry, Loser, but I also blame these damned fraternities and their silly hazing rituals.
Until universities take this stuff seriously, it will continue to happen.
Shut down the fraternity for ONE INCIDENT like this, forever.
I despise this Greek crap anyway.
If I cared at all about the Greek system maybe I could dislike them but....eh....who cares?
Ok, so your problem is with the Frat Boys. I can understand that.
Who is more to blame?
The group of drunken idiots (a.k.a. The Frat Boys)?
Or the idiot who does what the drunken idiots tells him to do?
Immature kids don't consider the ramifications of everything they do. They just know they don't want to be called weenies.
That's why the administration has to make an example of these rotten Greek drinking clubs.
Maybe they can put them on double secret probation?
I've had a lot of experience with teenage alcoholics and drug addicts and their families and sadly the parents are often (though of course not always) extremely responsible people who care about their kids and make sure they know the dangers of substance abuse from an early age. Some kids just don't learn until they have to learn the hard way.
When I was at college nearly all the heavy drinkers came from teetotaler families.
Families can teach their children to drink responsibly BEFORE they get to college rather than make it a taboo that they can't wait to get on their own and try (and misuse).
Also families are responsible if they themselves cave in to peer pressure all the time (mostly from the media). Keeping up with the Jones' and all that.
And whichever adults were "in charge" of that fraternity are irresponsible and deserve whatever scorn they get or guilt they suffer.
GDIs drink just as much and as often.
GDI?
I agree with you completely about where the guilt lies. I was just commenting on the thought that the parents were responsible for not informing their kid of the dangers of alcohol, when in fact they may have done the right thing all the way down the line.
Bingo. It doesn't help that the US raised the drinking age to 21 and goes overboard on enforcement; here in Canada the drinking age is 19 (18 in Québec & Manitoba) and campus drinking has never been a serious problem.
Dumb step/parents,Dumb Kid...
"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life son."
"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
"They invite these kids up there, to the No. 1 party school"
Just because they invite the kids, does not mean that you have to send your child to the #1 party school.
"Ok, so your problem is with the Frat Boys. I can understand that."
He probably didn't get a bid from the frat he wanted to join. He is still bitter about it after all these years.
As if only frat boys drink themselves to death.
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