Tim Piazza, a 19-year-old Penn State sophomore and pledge at Beta Theta Pi, died on Feb. 4, 2017, after he fell down the stairs during a pledge ceremony at the house on the night of Feb. 2. This Oct. 31, 2014 photo shows Timothy Piazza, center, with his parents Evelyn Piazza, left, and James Piazza, right, during Hunterdon Central Regional High School football's "Senior Night" at the high school's stadium in Flemington, N.J. The surveillance video shows Piazza chugging from a bottle of liquor early in the night and chugging a beer at another point. [6][7][2] He was aghast when he learned current members were already causing serious damage to the renovated house. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Later the video appears to show Piazza get up and walk into a wall, and then fall head first. They put him on a couch, put a blanket over him and stood around and talked for a while, Scicchitano said. As a pledge of the fraternity, Piazza was put through the gauntlet, in which he moved from station to station drinking alcohol. He tries to get on his feet using his hands and falls over. Going to need help.". There was an error processing your request. Another member named Qobi Qcianoo took a Snapchat video of Tim laying on the floor, and then left the house. In Pennsylvania, hazing resulting in death or serious bodily injury will now be charged as a third-degree felony, and hazing resulting in bodily injury will result in a third-degree misdemeanor charge. [3][1], While a coroner report initially deemed Piazza's death accidental, a police investigation would swiftly commence. My goal was to frame a discussion about consent (i.e. The university has taken several measures to reform greek life culture since Piazza died. Why wouldnt they want to help a person who was hurt? Maddie Aiken is the 2020-21 editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian. [2][4][5] Jonah Neuman attached a backpack containing several books onto Piazza, also to stop him from potentially choking on his own vomit. The legal limit for driving while intoxicated is .08 percent. The cameras recorded Piazza drinking vodka and beer shortly thereafter, and an hour later, needing help to walk from an area near the basement stairs to a couch, staggering and hunched over. "The Piazzas made a decision that it was incompatible with their mental health to sit and watch this video," he said. [2][4] The reason he was taken to a private clinic was to avoid the University Health Services becoming suspicious and potentially detecting hazing. And they agonized over this decision," Kline said. A few brothers appear to touch him or shake him, the detective testified the video shows. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We rely on the holidays to reconnect with the people who are most important to us and now we cant in ways that feel right. [13][12] It was believed by prosecutors that Braxton Becker deleted the video, as he was the one responsible for transferring it to the police. Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore and pledge at Beta Theta Pi, died on Feb. 4 after he fell down the stairs during a pledge ceremony at the house on the night of Feb. 2. "[The chapter adviser] obviously was involved in having knowledge of the social agenda, what was going on at various times, Ambrose said. We are highly offended by the insensitivity displayed given the severity of the crimes committed and ultimate outcome.. The lighthearted behavior continued after the hearing as the defendants and their families gathered, the Piazzas lawyer, Tom Kline said. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Having anxiety meltdowns and temper tantrums in front of your kids during covid-19? The police were not called until 10:30am the next morning. According to Jim, the consequence of hazing in many states is comparable to a traffic ticket. Senator Jake Corman addresses the media during a press conference explaining his new Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing legislation during the second Penn State Beta Theta Pi preliminary hearing at the Centre County Courthouse on Friday, March 23, 2018. This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 18:41. 9:06 PM EDT, Tue June 13, 2017, Hearing begins on fraternity hazing death case. Prosecutors claim the fraternity brothers waited to get Piazza help in an attempt to cover up their drinking and "coordinate a story. "This video should be watched by every president of every university to see what happened at Penn State, and to say to themselves, 'This can never ever happen again.'". We can continue to deny that at our peril, or we can take responsibility for each other by recognizing that inclusion in any group should never mean participating in the humiliation and dehumanization of others. [28][1][2] The University imposed several restrictions that saw Beta Theta Pi be permanently banned as a chapter, recruitment moved from fall to spring semester, stricter enforcement preventing underage drinking, and potentially enforcing that all Greek-letter organisations must be completely dry if further abuse occurs.[29]. The report also said that doctors concluded Piazza suffered from "multiple traumatic brain injuries," including a fractured skull and a lacerated spleen, which resulted in 80 percent of his blood supply in his abdominal cavity. Defense lawyer William Brennan, who represents Joseph Ems, said the video absolved his client. Piazza is seen being carried upstairs by four brothers - including Visser and Jonah Neuman, 19, of Nashville, Tenn. [23][22] In the State of Pennsylvania, a new law, titled The Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law was approved and introduced in August 2021. "This was an extraordinarily difficult day for the Piazza family," he said. One member wanted to take Piazza to the hospital but was pushed aside by another, Scicchitano testified. At another point, one fraternity brother tackled another, landing on top of Piazza. [2][4][5][1] It should be noted that he along with 11 others were under the minimum drinking age of 21. Most had taken or seen other people take pictures and videos of their peers passed out from drugs and alcohol. The same brother appears to hit Piazza in the abdomen area, the detective testified, which his defense attorney contested in court. 2023 Cable News Network. He was about to run "the gauntlet," one of the fraternity's initiation rituals. It highlights the story of. Updated Were optimistic that the culture can change, but we realize it's [going to] take several years to do that.. But what happened at Beta Theta Pi wasnt a mistake. This is somebody who's blood alcohol was three times the legal limit and apparently had some internal injuries," said Ems Jr.'s attorney, William J. Brennan. Medical reports concluded, Piazza suffered from multiple traumatic brain injuries, including a fractured skull and a lacerated spleen, which resulted in 80% of his blood supply in his abdominal cavity. Prosecutors showed the video for the first time Monday in a preliminary hearing to determine if theres enough evidence to go to trial. [30][1][11] Considering the disturbing nature of the footage, the fact it is still influential in ongoing court cases, and out of respect for Piazza and his relatives, the chances of the surveillance footage being publicly released is intensely slim. As he continued to groan, Piazza got to his knees and placed his head in his hands as if, in the pledge's words, he had "a really bad headache. ", Penn State's Interfraternity Council said, "We agree that added social restrictions, education, transparency and professional staff support are critical. Piazza suffered a fractured skull and lacerated spleen following a hazing-fueled night, in which the sophomore consumed at least 18 drinks in 82 minutes and fell hair first down the fraternitys basement stairs. The brothers put Piazza on a couch but did not stabilize his head and neck, the video appears to show, and the 19-year-old fell off the couch. STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Through grand jury testimony, police questioning and a review of Beta Theta Pi's complex video surveillance system, authorities have put together a harrowing narrative of the last hours of TimothyPiazza's life, from whenhe beganthe hazing ritual at the Penn State University fraternity,his fall down 15 feet of basement stairs to the 911 call for help the followingmorning and the desperate attempts by doctors to save his life. While the state laws that the Piazzas advocate for deal with the crime of hazing, federal laws they promote deal with accountability and transparency. She also writes about immigration. Brothers waited hours before calling for help. Toward the end of the hearing, defense lawyer Andy Shubin stood up during a break and said it was cruel and unusual punishment to make the attorneys stay in court for so long. But Piazza fell down three steps and the fraternity brother stepped over him and left him there. Additionally, a student filmed Piazza in his compromised state before uploading it to Snapchat. A defense attorney for Joseph Ems Jr., one of the frat brothers charged in the case with reckless endangerment, said his client was one of many people present that night who was unaware of the extent of Piazza's injuries. Penn State will release biannual hazing reports in accordance with the law. [2][4] This door was for the basement, with Piazza not noticing the flight of stairs that led to it. A forensic pathologist said Piazza had a blood alcohol content between .26% and .36% at one point during the night. Prosecutors in Pennsylvania are set to announce, May 5, 2017, the results of a grand jury investigation into the death of the Penn State student, Timothy Piazza, who fell down steps Feb. 4, during an alcohol-fueled pledge ceremony. The eight defendants charged with manslaughter in the frat house pledge death of Timothy Piazza sit in court. 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