A Florida judge last week sentenced a former Florida State University student to 30 days in jail and one year of probation for punching a classmate during a 2018 fraternity house freshman bullying incident.
Oliver Walker, 26, was charged with manslaughter after he allegedly tricked and punched freshman Nicholas Mauricio during a “Dude of the Week” tradition hosted by members of the now-defunct Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter at Florida State University, according to a lawsuit previously filed against the fraternity.
“I'm not only lucky to be alive, but I'm also lucky to be upstairs in a good place,” Mauricio told Fox News Digital. “It's been a lot of hard work and struggle and some tough times.”
He said the “hardest part” about his brain injury is that it's “not a visible injury that requires physical rehabilitation, like a broken arm or a torn ACL.” It can be hard for his friends and family to comprehend the seriousness of his injuries and the daily struggle he's had since the Worst Man of the Week incident.
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Oliver Walker, 26, was charged with manslaughter after he allegedly tricked and punched fellow classmate Nicholas Mauricio during a “Bad Guy of the Week” fraternity tradition hosted by members of the now-defunct Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter at Florida State University. (John Graeme/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Mauricio, who was 6-foot-1 and weighed 125 pounds at the time of the beating, fell and hit his head after Walker's punch and has spent the past six years recovering from debilitating brain injuries, including two different hematomas and damage to his frontal lobe.
The incident comes just months after FSU student Andrew Coffey died of alcohol poisoning after his fraternity buddies failed to seek help right away.
According to the lawsuit, the long-standing “Worst Guy of the Week” tradition required members to select a freshman and punch him or her in the face in front of the entire fraternity.
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Nicholas Mauricio poses with his fraternity “Big Brothers” and “Great Big Brothers” during pledge night in 2018. (Nicholas Mauricio)
“It has affected my whole family,” Mauricio said, adding, “They like the word 'survivor' because it's an extension of being a victim, but you managed to persevere.”
His mother, Michelle Mauricio, told Fox News Digital it was “terrible” that he had waited six years for justice.
“I'm still emotionally exhausted. … I'm tired of fighting a battle I can never win.”
“These stories continue to spread, and every year new students are injured or killed,” Michelle said. “This is friends hurting friends.”
Nicholas Mauricio (center) poses with two brothers who were inducted into the fraternity in 2018. (Nicholas Mauricio)
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Renowned bullying lawyer David Bianchi, who represented Mauricio in both cases, told Fox News Digital that Mauricio's family is happy to finally see the criminal case resolved.
“Most people would be surprised at the number of fraternity bullying incidents that occur each year in the United States, even though nearly every state has anti-bullying laws, every major university has anti-bullying policies, and every major fraternity and sorority has anti-bullying policies,” Bianchi said.
“These incidents happen all the time across the United States, but the message isn't getting to those who do these things.”
Nicholas Mauricio's mother told Fox News Digital it was “terrible” that he had waited six years for justice. (Nicholas Mauricio)
Bianchi added that the “probable prison sentence” would show members that suspension, expulsion and even prison time are possible if they place new or existing members in situations where serious injury or death is at risk.
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Mauricio wants other college men considering joining a sorority to speak up if they experience any kind of physical harm or alcohol abuse while underage.
“You can and should tell them no.”
“At the end of the day, even though it may seem like they have all the power, you have more power than them. You can and should say no to them,” Mauricio said. “We should be leaders rather than followers, so we can prevent something bad from happening and keep our dignity.”
Nicholas Mauricio received a football scholarship during his high school years. (Nicholas Mauricio)
Mauricio added that there has been “a lot of interest in this game” from Greek organizations and their members, as well as from universities. He and his mother hope their story will educate other college students and sorority members about the potential dangers of bullying.
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Mauricio hopes to become an advocate for people suffering from university bullying and brain injuries.
Gannon Cohens, an attorney with the Bodiford law firm who represented Walker, declined to comment at the time of publication.
