(dailynewyorknews) – A lawsuit filed by the family of Robert Champion, Florida A & M University band member, was beaten to death in an initiation ritual, accused the bus company involved in the fatal assault and bus driver’s negligence, his lawyer said Monday.

The lawsuit alleges that fabulous bus lines and its driver, not only consented to the unlawful acts of hazing of students, knowing that participated in the hazing activity planned over several years.

“It was a culture adopted by the bus company,” said Chris Brown.

According to court documents, Bus C, which was the vehicle where the incident occurred and the name of a specific initiation ritual, was parked in a dark corner, separated from the other buses provided by the company.

The complaint also alleges that the air conditioning system runs bus and a champion was beaten up and the bus driver was the guard at the door to prevent anyone entering or leaving the vehicle.

When the champion of the bus at a point of vomiting, the bus driver said “it would be good, since it was forced back on the bus,” the lawsuit alleges.

Despite a request for damages of more than $ 15 000, Brown insisted that the focus is not money. It allows you to present and take witness statements citations to further research.

“We know how this happened, we understand how to fix it, then do not happen again,” said Brown.

Calls to the bus company and their lawyers, Wicker, Smith, O’Hara, McCoy, and Ford, Pa., for comment were not returned.

Brown said he expects to begin taking testimony in the next 90 days.

Champion parents, Pamela and Robert, who are named in the suit and live outside Atlanta were not present at the press conference on Monday in Orlando, Florida, but Brown said his goal is to get answers and justice for Robert .

“We’ll have all those responsible,” said Brown.

FAMU is protected by sovereign immunity, and the family must submit an official notification of the intention to continue and wait six months to file a complaint against the school. Brown said he plans to continue college.

Fabulous Bus Lines President Ray Land said last month that the company employees who were not on the bus at the time, reacted quickly after learning there was an emergency – even after the Champion ambulance transport to hospital , with other group members there.

“We have done our passengers safely from point A to point B as contracted,” the land. When employees were notified of an emergency on board one of the nine bus convoy, “said that as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Some group members said Champion, 26, died after participating in an annual rite of passage called “Crossing bus C”

According to the lawsuit, is an initiation process in which the promises are trying to run down the center aisle of the bus’s front door in the back while being beaten, kicked and assaulted by the arms.

Brown said he has heard that the ritual can be performed before the Fabulous Coach Lines.

In fact, the complaint alleges that its customers the bus driver C “, often engaged in or permitted the initiation Bus” C” and “other drivers aware that was part of the troop” Bus C ‘. ”

Other drivers of the same company had “complained of hazing rituals” on this particular bus. But “they were accused by the government to ignore the great coach and (said) that FAMU has been paying for this and can do whatever they want,” the suit alleges.

However, Land said the bus company has “never seen this kind of behavior” of the banda.

Champion Orlando collapsed on the bus, carrying members of the FAMU Marching 100 after a football game in November, which included a halftime performance by the group.

The medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide and Mr. Champion “collapsed and died an hour after a hazing incident in which he suffered several blows from a blunt trauma to his body.”

The autopsy revealed bruises “on his chest, arms, shoulders and back” and “crush-proof areas of subcutaneous fat,” which is the fatty tissue under the skin.

Death asks FAMU Board of Directors approved a new three-part plan against hazing, which includes an independent panel of experts to investigate.

The board approved the policy 9-1 last week.

Champion’s mother said she wants to stop hazing.

“Think twice when their children go to college,” he said. “Watch what happens at your school …. Now we know.”

With the University, the Florida Police Department and Sheriff’s Office Orange County are also investigating the case.

Nobody has been charged in the death of the champion.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/13/justice/florida-am-lawsuit/index.html?hpt=us_c2