The hearing for a case involving the two former Syracuse University students charged with hazing was postponed until mid-November because one of the students’ attorneys got into an accident.

Jeffrey Yam and Tae Kim, both no longer enrolled at SU, were arrested and charged with hazing in the first degree, a misdemeanor, in March. They pleaded not guilty. A hearing for the case was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but a city judge decided to delay the hearing until Nov. 16.

Kim and his attorney, Jim Hopkins, were present in court Wednesday for the appearance that lasted about 30 minutes. Yam’s attorney, Jennifer McCann, was in an accident. Kim and Yam are co-defendants in the case.

In March, a pledge of Nu Alpha Phi nearly lost four fingers due to frostbite after he was forced to do aerobic exercises as punishment for “failing to perform their daily duties properly.” Pledges were dressed in sweatshirts, pants, boots and no gloves. The incident caused the victim severe pain in both hands and he was treated for severe frostbite at Crouse Hospital, police said in March.

Nu Alpha Phi was suspended from the university. The fraternity is still listed on the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs website.

A preliminary trial date for the case has been set for Dec. 15, but prosecutor Peter Hakes had some objections to the date. A witness in the case is currently studying abroad in Spain and isn’t scheduled to return to the U.S. until that date and not scheduled to return to Syracuse until Jan. 12, 2016, he said.

City Court Judge Theodore Limpert asked about the possibility of the witness coming to Syracuse the day after the trial is scheduled to start. Hakes said he would look into it.

After Hopkins, Hakes and Limpert discussed further dates for the case, the three called McCann, who said she was OK with the dates set.

It is unclear what exactly the accident was that made McCann unable to attend the hearing.

Published on October 14, 2015 at 11:20 am

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