A New Jersey judge accepted a prosecutor’s request today that hazing charges be dropped against two Rider University officials in connection with the drinking death of a freshman at a fraternity initiation, the Associated Press reported.

The dismissal came at the request of the Mercer County prosecutor, Joseph L. Bocchini Jr., who earlier this month took the unprecedented step of indicting Rider’s dean of students, Anthony Campbell, and its director of Greek Life, Ada Badgley, following a grand-jury investigation of the death last March of an 18-year-old student, Gary DeVercelly, from alcohol poisoning.

The indictments, believed to be the first time university administrators had faced criminal charges in a hazing death, alarmed many officials in higher education.

At the time, Mr. Bocchini said the indictments would send a “clear message” to college officials that “there is a culpability factor in allowing drink on campus.” Now his office has determined that there is insufficient evidence against Mr. Campbell and Ms. Badgley, according to The Star-Ledger, and has filed a motion to dismiss the charges. Charges are still pending against three officers of the fraternity. —Paula Wasley