Nightly News   |  January 10, 2012

Band hazing death: parents to sue bus company

Robert Champion, an FAMU drum major, died from blunt force trauma on a bus after the band had performed at a football game. Today his parents said their son was gay, but this wasn’t a hate crime. NBC’s Brian Williams reports.

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>>> a story that's gotten a lot of attention in this country. a florida a&m drum major who was hazed to death apparently. today his parents revealed that their son was gay. they said they don't think that's what led to the beating that killed him. they said they will sue the company that owns the bus where the hazing attack took place, part of their effort to confront the overall culture of hazing.

>> i sent him to this school to get an education, to be a valid citizen. and came back in a bod by bag. so we need to change the culture.

>> that was the father of robert champion jr. who died in november. by the way, we have posted a complete report on this story, including more with the champion family. it's on our website,