Becky Roe in KGW 8 – Washington Supreme Court rules WSU has a duty of care for Sam Martinez's death

SGB attorney Becky Roe is mentioned in a KGW article on the Washington Supreme Court's ruling that WSU has a duty of care in the 2019 hazing death of freshman Sam Martinez.

The court found that WSU's special relationship with the Gamma Chi fraternity created a duty of care to its members and pledges, including Martinez, who died from acute alcohol intoxication during a fraternity initiation event at an off-campus fraternity house. The ruling sides with an appeals court that had already found the university bears some responsibility, sending the case back for trial.

The Martinez family filed a lawsuit alleging WSU knew of ongoing hazing and dangerous alcohol practices within its fraternity system but failed to take steps to protect students. Martinez's parents sued WSU in 2020, arguing the university knew of the fraternity's history of hazing and failed to act. The case now returns to King County Superior Court for trial.

Read the full KGW story here.