After four days of arguments and exhaustive witness accounts about the events leading to the death of George Desdunes ’13, Judge Judith Rossiter J.D. ’86 closed the criminal trial of three former Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity pledges for deliberation on Thursday.

As the third day of the criminal trial of three former Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity pledges unfolded on Wednesday, the question of whether the pledges' mock-kidnapping or Desdunes' own drinking led to the SAE brother's death continued to hang heavy in the air.

As the other SAE brother kidnapped that night, Gregory Wyler '12 is likely to have more insight into the events surrounding Desdunes’ death than perhaps anyone other than the pledges themselves.

Students formerly affiliated with SAE hosted the White Party in Collegetown Saturday night. Although it has been more than a year since SAE was kicked off campus, vestiges of the fraternity and its brotherhood maintain a visible presence on campus.

If approved, a proposed overhaul of Cornell’s Greek system would aim to eradicate hazing by integrating members into Greek life before they join individual houses and by requiring advisors to live in “at-risk” fraternities, among other changes.

The Cornell Baja SAE Racing Team’s off-road, single-seat race car snagged first place last weekend in an international competition against 88 other teams.

The New York Times published a story on fraternity hazing Thursday that focuses on the events surrounding the death of George Desdunes ’13, the student who died after a Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledging event in February 2011. In it, The Times details the events of the night leading up to his death, as well as the close relationship between Desdunes and his mother.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon argues that the death of George Desdunes ’13 was the result of his own “culpable conduct,” according to a defense brief filed by the national fraternity earlier this month.

As a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against Sigma Alpha Epsilon and several Cornell students progresses, new details have emerged about the events leading up to the death of George Desdunes ’13 last February. 

Cornell will revoke its recognition of Tau Kappa Epsilon for at least three years following reports of an alcohol-related hospitalization of a freshman. The University rejected the fraternity’s appeal of the decision.