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U.S. NEWS Friday 11 august 2017
More video shows Penn State pledge stumbling before death

basement. The basement footage hazing, reckless endanger-
The four-minute excerpt could show what hap- ment and alcohol offenses.
was played by prosecu- pened between the For some, the charges re-
tors to illustrate his medical pledge ceremony, when late to the role they played
condition before he died Piazza did not appear in- in the hazing event, includ-
at a hospital. A shirtless Pi- toxicated, and about two ing supplying vodka, beer
azza was able to walk to hours later, following drink- and wine. Five defendants
close a door but then fell ing that occurred in the are accused only of evi-
into the curtains. basement. It also could dence tampering,
He had trouble keeping show what happened ear- Cameras captured Piazza,
his pants up and then col- ly the next morning, when a sophomore engineer-
lapsed into a large chair in he ended up in the base- ing student, falling several
the Beta Theta Pi house’s ment unconscious. times during the night of
great room. Piazza’s friends waited drinking, and an autopsy in-
Members of the fraternity some 40 minutes that morn- dicated he had consumed
In this May 5, 2017 photo, Centre County, Pa., District Attorney later realized Piazza was ing to call for help, and a dangerous amount of al-
Stacy Parks Miller, left, announces the findings of an investiga- missing and found him in medical experts have said cohol.
tion into the death of Penn State University fraternity pledge Tim the basement, where no he had suffered severe Security camera footage
Piazza, seen in photo at right, as his parents, Jim and Evelyn video has been recovered. head and abdominal inju- inside the house recorded
Piazza, second and third from left, stand nearby during a news Scicchitano testified that ries. He died the next day, the response of fraternity
conference in Bellefonte, Pa.
(Abby Drey /Centre Daily Times via AP) he now suspects the base- Feb. 4. leaders and other mem-
ment video was purposely The charges for some in- bers as they dealt with the
By MARK SCOLFORO State College police De- erased, and charges may clude involuntary man- injured and intoxicated stu-
Associated Press tective Dave Scicchitano result. He said the suspect slaughter and aggravated dent with a series of inef-
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — continued, and it was not was one of the defendants, assault. Others face less se- fectual and even counter-
Prosecutors in the crimi- clear whether the mara- but did not name him. rious charges that include productive efforts.q
nal case against a Penn thon proceeding will wrap
State fraternity and 18 of up on Friday.
its members related to the A judge has to decide if
death of a pledge after an there is sufficient evidence
alcohol-fueled hazing cer- against now-closed Beta
emony played new video Theta Pi and 16 of its mem-
footage on Thursday of bers to send their cases
the pledge in the hours be- to county court for trial.
fore help was summoned, Two defendants previously
and the lead detective re- waived the hearing.
vealed that critical security The new footage showed
video may have been in- Tim Piazza, 19, of Lebanon,
tentionally erased. New Jersey, stumbling and
The preliminary hearing unsteady on his feet about
wrapped up its fourth day three hours before he was
as cross-examination of found unconscious in the

High schooler dies when log

falls on him in football drill

By FRANK ELTMAN sive back was declared
KAREN MATTHEWS dead later at a hospital.
Associated Press Sachem East graduate
FARMINGVILLE, N.Y. (AP) Carlin Schledorn, who
— A high school football played football as a junior,
player lifting a large log said carrying the log —
with teammates as part of about 12 feet (3.7 meters)
a Navy SEALs-style drill was long and the diameter of a
hit in the head by the log utility pole — was a “team
and died Thursday, raising building” exercise. “It’s very
questions about adapt- big. It’s like a tree, and it’s a
ing such military training to challenge for people who
young athletes. Joshua Mi- weightlift,” he said. “Five or
leto, a 16-year-old Sachem six people do it at once. I
East High School junior, and feel horrific for the team
about five of his teammates and coaches because I
were carrying the log over- know them, and they are
head when the accident all great men.” School of-
happened at a preseason ficials, including the head
exercise camp supervised coach, did not comment
by a half-dozen coaches, on the exercise.
Suffolk County police said. A person at Mileto’s home
The 5-foot-6, 134-pound declined to speak with
wide receiver and defen- reporters.q