Sometimes there's a fine line between fun and foolishness - other times, there's no question that an incident should have never happened.

The alleged hazing death of a 21-year-old fraternity pledge in Oroville, Calif., from heart failure clearly falls into the latter category.

Four members of the now-defunct Chi Tau house at Chico State University are charged with coercing a pledge, Matthew Carrington, into drinking large amounts of water and performing calisthenics in a frigid basement. Carrington collapsed during the initiation rite and died of heart failure due to water intoxication.

This type of thing is inexcusable and should be punished severely. There needs to be a precedent set so that fraternity members can see the consequences of hazing.

It's not right to take advantage of a person who is desperate for acceptance, forcing them to do things that will injure or even kill them. Just because some people don't have a healthy respect for their body's limits doesn't justify asking them to do things that will put them in danger.

Fraternities should be about looking after fellow brothers, not sadistically harming them. Feats of strength have their place, but only if they are in good fun, and most importantly if they aren't dangerous.

Carrington's case was neither. It was stupidly dangerous and probably not much fun for anyone.

In fact, the judge presiding over the case even raised the possibility that the defendants could be charged under torture laws. This would increase the prison sentence of four years for involuntary manslaughter charges to a possible life sentence for torture.

We believe this goes too far. The life sentence should be reserved for murderers and others who pose a danger to society or have committed a particularly heinous crime. The defendants in the Carrington case deserve prison, but a life sentence is far too long as their crime was not premeditated.

They, and other potential hazers, should take this as an opportunity to learn from a terrible mistake.