PSU/frat/Piazza? Penn State Frat House Death: Fast Drinking, Slow Death, Frantic Coverup In Grand Jury Timeline, Frat House Death At Penn State: A Who's Who Of The Accused. While this event is horribly tragic, I don't think it serves anyone to blame the other fraternity members and act like Timothy piazza had no involvement. The footage, as outlined in the grand jury presentment, shows an inebriated Piazza fall down the stairs. Eight fraternity brothers are facing manslaughter charges in connection with Piazza's death. The reason why hazing works, and why hazing charges exist, is because peer pressure is an extremely powerful motivator. WebDeleted surveillance video from inside a Penn State fraternity house recovered by prosecutors has led to new charges. Contributing: The Associated Press, John Bacon, USA TODAY. Timothy Piazza, 19, was given 18 drinks in less than Scicchitano said Piazza had a visible bruise on his abdomen on the footage while being carried by brothers after the fall. District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said fraternity brothers gave Piazza 18 drinks in under one hour and 22 minutes. Piazza, a 19-year-old engineering student from Lebanon, New Jersey, suffered a fractured skull, shattered spleen and other injuries, likely during a series of falls inside the house. Parks Miller, whos leaving office at the end of the year, then refiled many of the charges. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Prosecutors filed charges against 12 members of Penn State's now-shuttered Beta Theta Pi chapter and added to the already-existing charges against five others. Every drink consumed was provided to him by a fraternity brother: DA. Surveillance footage from inside the frat house shown during previous hearings depicted Piazza looking like a corpse after his first drunken fall in the house, according to another detectives testimony. PennLive.come reports State College Police Detective David Scicchitano was on the witness stand for nearly 10 hours during the hearing. Happy CMVing! "This is about Tim Piazza, and Tim Piazza died, and there should be an absolute reverence in that courtroom," said Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller. Again, letting people off the hook for being stupid is a dangerous precedent, because it encourages criminals to maintain as much ignorance as possible and act stupid in front of the jury. Two of the defendants waived their rights to a hearing. Attorney Ted Simon asked Scicchitano if he had a chance to identify and interview the girl, as well as a second girl spotted on the stairs. These were supposed to be his friends. Shit is about to get real and hit the fan because charges have been refiled, theres new charges, on top of a new judge overseeing the entire thing and new evidence. The surgeons attempting to save his life deemed the injuries to likely be nonrecoverable, and Piazza was pronounced dead in the early morning of February 4, 2017. ", As NPR's Bill Chappell reported at the time, Penn State Student's Hazing Death Was No Accident, Grand Jury Says, 'Horror' Of Student's Hazing Death At Penn State Sparks Change. All of the footage from a basement camera prior to Feb. 6 had been deleted before authorities had a chance to obtain it. I can honestly say that would not be how my mind would work. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Speaking of which, downvotes don't change views! Centre County Report. I can concede they are stupid. At this point normal people would call for medical help. I don't think it serves anyone to blame the other fraternity members and act like Timothy piazza had no involvement. I guess that is what has really skewed my opinion of this whole thing. I would feel sorry for myself, but it just wouldn't cross my mind to blame anyone and everyone for the situation. The grand jury document referenced surveillance footage other than the recently recovered video. Scicchitano said one of the members of Beta Theta Pi already facing charges in connection to the death of engineering student Tim Piazza deleted the footage, but he did not identity that individual in court, PennLive.com reports. Penn State's former Beta Theta Pi fraternity house now sits empty. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Investigators say his blood alcohol level was between .28 and .36. Her successor Bernie Cantorna has not said whether or not he intends to proceed with the prosecution.". you are trying to grasp onto and shred of bullshit in a weak attempt at creating an underdog hero out of these narcissistic assholes. Harry Kamerow said he used video evidence and medical records to establish that Piazza's fall at 11:22 p.m. down the basement steps caused his fatal brain and spleen i have to say, if this were just a random person from the general public, they seriously wouldnt be this invested to make a throwaway account to make someone change their simpleton mind and then it results in you fighting to hang onto every tooth and infected hang nail (points which are not at all logical, and seriously only are one a sociopathic, guilty person would be rationalizing) Youre throwing shit to a wall and hoping it sticks, desperate for a new defense to use in court since the basement footage has now been released. The video includes Piazza consuming nearly 20 drinks in 90 minutes. WebAccording to the grand jury presentment, around 9 p.m., the videos show Piazza and other pledges in a ritual called "the gauntlet," consuming large amounts of beer, vodka and Comedy Cabaret at the Temperance House, Open House - Check Out The NEW Total Fitness & Golf Gym, Delaware Valley University Hosts Raising Livestock on a Small Farm Community Course This Spring, Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, Larry P. Pelullo, Retired Carpenter with over 30 years Experience, Check Out These Homes For Sale In Newtown, Bucks LVW Webinar To Explore "How School Boards Impact Us All". Once he was finally able to maintain balance, he staggered toward the lobby area of the house, but fell again head first into an iron railing and landed on a stone floor, likely incurring serious head trauma. Surveillance video played in court reportedly shows Piazza repeatedly falling, passing out and tumbling head-first down a flight of stairs, and no one called 911 for hours. A judge presiding over the preliminary hearing, which began in June, will decide whether there is enough evidence to send the case to trial. Firstly, please read through our rules. He's unconscious," Scicchitano said after Piazzas first fall. He died two days later at a hospital. 18 and up is an adult. Clearly, he is dead weight." Flanked by Piazza's parents, Centre County district attorney Stacy Parks Miller told reporters that 12 new defendants, as well as five old ones, are facing new criminal charges, including involuntary manslaughter, hazing and giving alcohol to minors. Gary DiBileo Jr. of Scranton left the Centre County Courthouse without knowing when he'll be back and if the charges against him will go to trial. What they did was far worse than, say driving drunk and killing someone which would still be involuntary manslaughter. Roughly twelve hours after his initial fall, emergency services were summoned but not informed that the fall had occurred the night before. Newly recovered security camera footage from inside a Penn State fraternity house showed a pledge had been given at least 18 drinks in less than 90 minutes, investigators said Monday in announcing dozens of new charges related to the pledges death. One fraternity member is accused of deleting the video as police were seeking the footage. The bombshell revelation by State College police Detective David Scicchitano came during a hearing to determine if theres enough evidence to send the case to trial. Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore at Penn State, fell down the stairs at the Beta Theta Pi house during a night of drinking for a pledge ceremony there on Feb. 2. Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore from New Jersey, died after tumbling down a flight of stairs and fracturing his skull during an alcohol-fueled pledge ritual at the Beta Theta Pi house on Feb. 4. Over the last several months we listened to defense arguments centered around victim blaming or how could the defendants have known they were putting someone seriously at risk since no one died before, as if they were entitled to one free death, or the catch all argument of, We dont know,' he said. (Patrick Carns/Patrick Carns). There's fault to go around there. He was pronounced dead after roughly 20 hours of surgery proved that he could not likely recover. Tim would be alive today if they didn't care more about themselves more. Pledges showed signs of intoxication, and Piazza had to be helped to a couch. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. His brain had swollen to the point that roughly half of his skull had to be removed to relieve the pressure. His "brothers," could have handled it better, but it is clear his parents taught him no accountability, and have no idea what it is themselves. While I don't disagree with your overall premise, rationality largely goes out the window at the death of a loved one - particularly when it's a child. The next morning, fraternity members located Piazza, unconscious, in the basement. Look at the definition of murder..I don't like over the top hyperbole and I think that's why this case has bothered me in terms of coverage. Terms of Use | Warner Bros. Entertainment | Graphic video footage of the night Piazza died was shown for the first time in court Monday. / CBS News. They waited an additional 40 minutes before summoning help, police say. No one called for help until late the next morning, and the New Jersey native died Feb. 4. Edit: Btw, your comment completely justifies me using a throwaway. Over the course of 42 more minutes, the video footage shows them hauling Piazza back upstairs, shaking him, and attempting to prop his limp body up on the couch. What happened to him after that, is entirely on the willful and blatant negligence of his frat brothers. Piazza's parents, Jim and Evelyn of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, left the courtroom before the prosecution began airing the footage, narrated by Scicchitano. The 19-year-old staggered through the house, visibly in pain he fell head first several times. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital in the early hours of Feb. 4. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Prosecutors have filed new charges against members of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State, alleging that newly recovered video shows them serving pledge Timothy Piazza excessive quantities of alcohol. Tim Piazza (center) is pictured with his parents, Evelyn and James. The footage, by all accounts, is disturbing. Not calling 911 immediately is not Piazza fault. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. Piazza was carried to a couch where frat brothers poured beer on him, hit him, and eventually propped him on his side. In fact, on video, Tim Piazza does not obtain his own alcohol at any point rather, every drink consumed was provided to him by a fraternity brother, she said. Advertisement The fraternity brothers who encouraged him to drink had power over him while he was, for several reasons, unable to effectively say no or fully understand his actions. The charges filed Monday which range from involuntary manslaughter to aggravated assault and hazing rely on surveillance footage taken during the pledge event connected with the 19-year-old's death. The preliminary hearing for the Penn State fraternity brothers accused in the hazing death of a 19-year-old student has been continued to a to-be-decided upon date, according to reports. Dr. Harry Kamerow said he used video evidence and medical records to establish that Piazza's fall at 11:22 p.m. down the basement steps caused his fatal brain and spleen injuries. 16 students face judge in Penn State hazing death of Timothy Piazza, 'He looked like a corpse': Video shown of Penn State pledge after fatal injuries, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Not calling 911 immediately is what changed that story, from a crazy night where he drank too much and a lesson for future endeavors to his death. One person even recommended that help be contacted but was ignored and he was left on a couch. Twenty-six people now face charges in the case. If you see a comment that has broken one, it is more effective to report it than downvote it. First of all, these are not kids, they are adults. The video includes Piazza consuming nearly 20 drinks in 90 minutes. One of the 18 Beta Theta Pi members charged with the Feb. 4 death of 19-year-old Tim Piazza removed everything from the basement camera two days after his alcohol-related passing. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He did not reveal the name of the member in question. "That's the evidence that the commonwealth now has.". Even if they aren't and are just held to the standard of roommates look at the whole situation. I don't even know where you get the whole idea I am making personal digs at people, or how you can think anything i said could only be thought by a frat bro, or whatever. When you get somebody into an environment where they have seemingly no way out, where every authority figure is encouraging or forcing you to drink and nobody would help you, say, leave and go home safely, it is extremely difficult to turn down drinks. The Beta Theta Pi fraternity, which has since been barred from Penn State, is facing charges including involuntary manslaughter and hazing. Third, being stupid instead of evil is not a defense for a crime. They have caused that condition," said Parks Miller. A response like yours is why I feared posting this. This is very true, they really have no good options here. Excerpts from the footage havebeen compelling: Fraternity members are shown holding Piazza down, strapping him to a backpack to keep him from turning over and choking, pouring liquids on him and trying to get him to stand so they could dress him even whenhe appeared to be unconscious. Feel free to message us. An example should be made of that chapter, so I would say his parents are more like the dicks that are trying to fuck the assholes that just want to shit all over everything, IMO. Meanwhile, tensions were high in the courtroom Thursday, with Centre County District Attorney Stacey Parks Miller turning her back on Judge Allen Sinclair to speak directly to the courtroom gallery, Philly.com reports. WebSurveillance footage from inside the frat house shown during previous hearings depicted Piazza looking like a corpse after his first drunken fall in the house, according to another It was at this point that he was carried upstairs. "His eyes were closed. US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has defended giving about 40,000 hours of surveillance footage from the insurrection on January 6 2021 to Fox News host Tucker Carlson. 7:45 p.m. Piazza was seen on his hands and knees in And again, we get back to taking responsibility for your actions. Other charges include assault, reckless endangerment, giving alcohol to minors, hazing and tampering with evidence. And to answer your last questionno I would not file charges or sue. Alexandersen said fraternity brothers were "intensely" watching the video of Piazza writhe in pain on the floor in the hours after his fall. No defendants have entered pleas at this time. The Inquirer explains: "In September, Judge Allen Sinclair gutted the prosecution's case, throwing out the most serious felony charges against the fraternity members and saying prosecutors had not presented enough evidence to support them. "Piazza looks like dead weight. From trying to beat him awake, to abandoning him, to covering up the evidence, everything about this shows criminal negligence. Piazza was at the Penn State University fraternity for a pledge event in February when he died after falling down a flight stairs. The continuation comes after nearly 12 hours of testimony and hours of surveillance footage from the fraternity house on the night Timothy Piazza, a sophomore from New Jersey, fell during a bid acceptance night party. The testimony came on the fourth day of a preliminary hearing for 16 members of Beta Theta Pi facing charges that includeinvoluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in the Feb. 4 death of engineering student Timothy Piazza, 19. I agree with both of those things. Scicchitano replied he did not, saying the girls were not wearing name badges, and recommended that they come forward to police. Again, these are people who WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIM BEING IN THAT CONDITION who were more concerned about the possible consequences for themselves than saving the life of a badly injured pledge. In court, some of the fraternity brothers appeared distressed while watching the videos. During questioning in court Thursday, Scicchitano said one of the 18 fraternity members already facing charges in connection to Piazza's death earlier this year may have deleted the basement video. And what happened throughout the night was just careless disregard for human life.". Maybe he didn't need to go to an event where he knew there would be drinking, but it's doubtful he expected to be forced to drink as much as he was or that he could have possibly been making rational decisions a few drinks in. This is a footnote from the CMV moderators. He was found several hours later by members of the frat. They caused his condition, then exacerbated it, then refused to get him needed care immediately. What led to his death was the negligent behavior of the fraternity members after Tim was first injured. But they are not evil. I don't think it's cool at all to launch a personal attack like that, in a sub reddit that is about changing view points. I don't think they're acting like assholes. Well, we beat him and slapped him, what more could we do? Scicchitano testified in court that Piazza "looked like a corpse" the morning after the fall. after reading this entire thread and especially all of your answers OP im getting the impression you are either someone (a brother/pledge) who was there that night, or someone with some type of intimate frat involvement to the case and timothy. Sixteen Penn State fraternity brothers were in court Monday, all facing charges connected with the death of a pledge. "She has asked that the case be reassigned to another judge, but she is working against the clock. Obviously you are riding a very high horse and looking down on me. Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller charged 10 new defendants, reinstated charges against two people whose cases had been dropped and added counts against five who had previously been charged for actions surrounding the Feb. 4 death of Beta Theta Pi pledge Tim Piazza. He was just trying to join an organization. Build a site and generate income from purchases, subscriptions, and courses. Piazza eventually staggered to the basement where he fell down a flight of stairs. Mystery Surrounds Mom-of-3 Found Dead After Failing to Pick up Children from School, Police Ask for Patience, Missing Nevada Woman Stopped Contact with Family, Police Seek Tips, Unknown Man Seen Using Missing Georgia Mans Credit Card in Baton Rouge. On the night of February 2, 2017, while undergoing hazing rituals for the fraternity, Piazza, on an essentially empty stomach, drank large amounts of alcohol in a short time as part of an obstacle course called "The Gauntlet", which required each pledge to drink from a bottle of vodka, drink a beer, and finally drink from a bag of wine. The revelation came on Day 4 of the preliminary hearing for the fraternity brothers facing charges ranging from involuntary manslaughter to furnishing alcohol to minors. 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