Four more students who were charged with hazing pledges of a Florida A & M marching band club named the Clones have been dismissed from the university.

The decision to release the students was announced Monday during a FAMU board of trustees meeting, following the broadcasting of the charges on Friday.  

According to police reports, the hazing took place in "three or four initiation meetings" that began around Sept. 1 in a house near campus. Lined in the order of their height, five pledges were "forced to exercise, play music, and were either punched, prepped (slapped with both hands on back) and/or paddled."

Denise Bailey, 22; Brandon Benson, 23; Hakeem Birch, 21 and Anthony Mingo, 22 were booked on misdemeanor hazing charges and released on bail last week. They will have a chance to appeal their school dismissal before a student judicial committee.

Even if the student committee approves the appeal, however, the four band members will still face the misdemeanor charges.

The historically Black university continues to face the spotlight, as last week’s arrests are the latest in a hazing scandal of the school’s famed Marching 100 band that left 26-year-old Robert Champion dead and others injured.

According to a police report, the accused members have denied that hazing occurred or said they did not know about it.

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(Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity)