NH police: Frat pledges were branded with bayonet
By Associated Press
Apr 23, 2009 9:47 AM CDT

Police in New Hampshire say two college students have been arrested over a pledging ceremony where fraternity initiates were burned with a hot World War II-era bayonet.

Henniker police say 25-year-old Nicholas Weiss and 22-yeasr-old Kevin Phelps were each charged with four misdemeanor counts of student hazing this week. Police say the two used the heated bayonet to brand at least seven other New England College students at the Sigma Alpha Beta fraternity house last fall.

The seven who were branded were charged in March over a separate ceremony that night.

Police started investigating after pledges went to the school infirmary with severe burns to their chests. One had burns to his buttocks.

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Information from: Concord Monitor, http://www.cmonitor.com