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5 Facing Murder Charges In Fraternity Hazing Death Due In Court

POCONO PINES, Pa. (CBSNewYork/AP) --  The charges for the last of 37 suspects in the 2013 fraternity hazing death of a 19-year-old Baruch College student were officially delivered on Wednesday.

Five members of the Baruch chapter of Psi Delta Psi now face third-degree murder charges in the death of Chun "Michael" Deng, who police say was physically abused by members of the fraternity during a trip to the Poconos.

Deng was blind-folded, weighted down with a heavy backpack and forced to run a gauntlet during what was described as a brutal fraternity ritual, according to police. Deng was knocked unconscious during the incident, and police say fraternity members waiting more than an hour before taking Deng to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.

A Pennsylvania coroner declared Deng's death a homicide.

Thirty-two other members of the fraternity face charges ranging from aggravated assault to hazing. The Pi Delta Psi fraternity itself is also charged with murder.

The five fraternity members facing murder charges are all from Queens, and are due back in court for arraignment in Pennsylvania on Thursday.

An attorney for 22-year-old suspect Raymond Lam calls Deng's death a "tragedy beyond words'' but says his client is innocent.

Baruch College threw the fraternity chapter off campus permanently in response to the incident.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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