A night of partying at a Berkeley frat house turned into a nightmare when a young woman fell from the roof, drawing a lawsuit and a strong rebuke for the unofficial celebration.
Delta Kappa Epsilon, a fraternity chapter at UC Berkeley, is facing a serious lawsuit after Jasmine Wang plunged from their rooftop during a party on April 22, 2023.
The DEK party coincided with Cal Day, an open house arranged by UC Berkeley to welcome new students and their families, according to SF-GATE.
Lots of campus organizations throw unofficial parties during this period; however, the party at the fraternity was not promoted by Berkeley, as DKE has not been recognized by the university for over a decade.
In 2009, DKE's recognized status was revoked for "hazing, risk management violations, fire and life safety violations, and non-compliance with prior sanctions," stated Berkeley.
Because the school does not recognize DKE as a compliant fraternity, it is not subject to the university's oversight.
The lawsuit allegedly highlights "copious amounts of alcohol were being served and consumed" at the DKE party, held at its fraternity house at 2302 Piedmont Ave.
On the day of the party, police responded to reports of a woman in her 20s falling from the roof.
Wang was found on the concrete and taken to a nearby hospital for "numerous fractures and internal damage."
Per the legal complaint, the Theta Zeta Chapter was "negligent, careless, and reckless" in maintaining the property and "allowing intoxicated guests onto the roof... without proper safety barriers or railings."
The university issued a warning on their information page that says "students are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to not join such groups," as they hold no jurisdiction over them.
Wang is seeking compensatory damages for her hospital and medical bills, loss of wages, and future earning capacity.
A hearing is scheduled for December 30.
