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U.S. NEWS A5
Saturday 6 May 2017

Fraternity, 18 members charged in Penn State student’s death

Jim and Evelyn Piazza stand by as Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller, left, an- when help was finally sum- for the law.
nounces the results of an investigation into the death of their son Timothy Piazza, seen in photo moned. Piazza died Feb. 4 Penn State permanently
at right, a Penn State University fraternity pledge, during a press conference Friday, May 5, 2017, as a result of a traumatic banned Beta Theta Pi on
in Bellefonte, Pa. Timothy Piazza had toxic levels of alcohol in his body and was badly injured in brain injury. March 30, accusing it of a
a series of falls, authorities said Friday in announcing criminal charges against members of the Miller said doctors estimate “persistent pattern” of ex-
organization and the frat itself. Piazza had a blood-alco- cessive drinking, drug use
hol content of nearly 0.40 and hazing. University Presi-
(Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times via AP) percent. dent Eric Barron called the
The investigation found report heart-wrenching,
some frat members tried to sickening and incompre-
cover up what happened. hensible.
A text message recovered “It is numbing how an at-
by police urged pledges mosphere that endangers
to get rid of evidence of the well-being and safety
alcohol, and conversations of another person could
were found discussing de- occur within an organiza-
leting conversations from a tion that prided itself on
messaging app. commitment to each other
“Sadly, we’re never going and to its community,” Bar-
to see his smile again ex- ron said.
cept in pictures,” said the Miller said video footage
student’s father, Jim Piazza, turned over to investigators
who attended the news was critical to the investi-
conference. “This didn’t gation, providing evidence
have to happen. This is the of what occurred and con-
result of a feeling of entitle- tradicting stories some wit-
ment, flagrant disregard” nesses had told.q

By MARK SCOLFORO Eight of the fraternity broth-
Associated Press ers and the chapter itself
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — were charged with involun-
Eighteen Penn State fra- tary manslaughter. Other
ternity brothers have been charges include aggra-
charged with crimes rang- vated and simple assault,
ing up to involuntary man- evidence tampering, alco-
slaughter in the death of hol-related violations and
a pledge who authorities hazing. An attorney for the
say repeatedly fell down a chapter did not immedi-
flight of stairs after he and ately respond to telephone
others were made to run a or email messages seeking
gantlet of drinking stations comment.
where they guzzled vodka, The grand jury, aided by
beer and wine. security camera footage,
Fraternity members at Beta said the fraternity was
Theta Pi resisted getting heavily stocked with booze
help for 19-year-old Timo- for the Feb. 2 ceremony
thy Piazza, causing him to at which Piazza, a sopho-
suffer for hours and possibly more engineering student
making his injuries worse, from Lebanon, New Jersey,
a prosecutor said Friday in and 13 others accepted
announcing the results of a pledge bids. The pledges
grand jury investigation. were pressured to chug
“This is a very sad day for vodka, shotgun beers and
Centre County — it’s been drink wine at different sta-
sad ever since we lost a tions.
child for reasons that are Piazza tumbled down a
totally preventable. A child long flight of stairs that
who just wanted to come night and fell several oth-
to college here, who put his er times, injuring his head,
faith in Penn State,” District Miller said. The next morn-
Attorney Stacy Parks Miller ing, he fell down the same
said at a news conference. steps and was unconscious