OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington State Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday in the case that will decide whether Washington State University can be held liable in the hazing death of Sam Martinez in 2019.

Counsel for WSU petitioned the court to reverse an appeals court ruling from January that decided the university does bear some responsibility in Martinez's death .

WSU freshman Sam Martinez died of acute alcohol poisoning after a 2019 fraternity event. His death, Pullman Police and WSU agreed, was the result of hazing at Alpha Tau Omega (ATO)'s Gamma Chi chapter.

In a lawsuit filed against the university in 2020, Sam's parents argued the university was partially to blame for his death. Washington's Court of Appeals agreed, ruling that ATO used an off-campus house, or liv

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