The Washington Court of Appeals has allowed Sam Martinez’s family to proceed with a jury trial over five years after the 19-year-old died at a fraternity event.
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In November 2019, Martinez, a student at Washington State University (WSU), passed away from alcohol poisoning while at the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, per Seattle outlet Komo News.
Martinez’s family filed a lawsuit against WSU to take the case to trial. Although the trial court initially dismissed it, an appeals court recently reversed that decision, stating that WSU had a duty of care because of its special relationship with the fraternity.
“I think about him all day, every day still, and it’s now been more than five years since we lost him,” Jolayne Houtz, Martinez’s mother, told Komo News. “He was just beautiful, kind, loyal, center of our world, and our lives are not the same and never will be again without him in it.”
Houtz is still searching for answers and accountability for her son’s death.
“I needed the truth about what happened to my son, and it was also about accountability and holding responsible the people that allowed that to happen to Sam that night,” she explained to the outlet.
Martinez’s Fraternity Brothers Faced Brief Jail Time and Probation
Martinez tragically lost his life after being coerced into binge drinking at a fraternity event. The following morning, he was discovered unresponsive on a couch by a fraternity member, with vomit in his mouth. His blood alcohol level was measured at 0.372. Fifteen fraternity members were charged and received penalties ranging from 1 to 19 days in jail, probation, fines, and mandatory alcohol and drug education programs.
Last month, the Washington Court of Appeals issued an opinion highlighting several instances where Washington State University (WSU) was aware of hazing and binge drinking problems within its fraternities. Per Komo News, the court pointed out that the university knew about the fraternity’s risky behavior and had a chance to step in to possibly prevent harm.
Martinez’s Family Claims They Uncovered Years of Complaints Filed Against the Fraternity
Before her son joined Alpha Tau Omega, Houtz researched the fraternity but found no record of its past issues or disciplinary actions. It was only years later, through ongoing litigation, that she became aware of its history.
“There were nearly 70 times over the six years before Sam died, that somebody in a position of authority, whether from Washington State, from campus police, Pullman police, somebody had to go and knock on the door of that chapter house and investigate a complaint or an allegation,” Houtz told Komo News. “Washington State University knew that, the National Alpha Tau Omega organization knew that, nobody intervened and stopped them, and Sam and we, as his parents, did not know what he was walking into. If we had known, he’d still be alive today.”
“My hope is that this leads to tougher questions about which groups are worthy of bearing the stamp of approval of their university and which ones probably should be shut down,” Houtz told the outlet.
Martinez’s family continues to face a legal battle, as WSU retains the option to appeal the recent ruling. If pursued, the case could ultimately proceed to a jury trial in King County Superior Court.