[2][4] Unbalanced, he fell down the basement stairs, rendering him not unconscious, but also rupturing his spleen that caused blood to pour into his abdomen. [11][1][4][2] Piazza again managed to stagger around, only to end up falling down to the basement, this time with nobody around to assist him for the next three hours. Timothy Piazza, 19, died following a Feb. 2 pledge event at the Beta Theta Pi frat house after falling down basement steps during a night of heavy drinking, authorities have said. Timothy Piazza, 19, from New Jersey died after falling down a flight of stairs during a hazing ritual at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house. [6][7][2] He was aghast when he learned current members were already causing serious damage to the renovated house. You have permission to edit this article. Other fraternity brothers discovered Piazza in the basement at about 10 a.m. Timothy was lying on his back with his arms clenched tight at his sides and his hands in the air, jurors wrote. Through speaking to students, Jim said he hopes to educate students on what hazing is and the consequences of it. 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. These guides help people quickly understand social and emotional concepts to put them into action. At 6:57am, pledge Qobi Quainoo begins to video (Unconscious) Timothy on the floor using the Snapchat Application (Page 46.) As a pledge of the fraternity, Piazza was put through the gauntlet, in which he moved from station to station drinking alcohol. [2][5][7], From 2009, Beta Theta Pi was placed on probation. 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. We stand firm on our belief that when students are involved in collaborating with the university in monitoring and accountability, a greater impact is made. Related: Penn State Frat Members Have First Hearing in Pledge's Death. [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. A judge will decide if there is enough evidence to go to trial and the surveillance video played in court today is a key part of that evidence. Related: Penn State Pledge Was Treated Like 'Road Kill': Grieving Family, "I don't wanna see it as a parent, because I feel like it's gonna be incredibly painful," Jim Piazza said. The video shows Piazza staggering through the house the. Michael Bonatucci, 19, is among those facing the most serious charges, including aggravated assault. May 7, 2017 Penn State sophomore Tim Piazza spent his final hours dragging his bruised and bloodied body across a beer-soaked fraternity house floor, stumbling down stairs into iron railings, and lying drunk and unconscious as head injuries and internal bleeding slowly sapped his life away. We wake up every morning to give you and your family all you need to start your day. [4][1] In May 2017, 18 Beta Theta Pi members were charged with a variety of crimes, including involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, providing alcohol to someone underage, hazing, and for tampering of evidence. At one point, a brother comes over to him, Piazza gets up and walks with him, then falls down another set of stairs. Kidding among themselves. The Piazzas have acted as catalysts for much of the push for hazing reform at a university, statewide and national level. The new Standards of Excellence set minimum requirements for fraternity community service hours, philanthropy money raised and civic responsibility program attendance. The security video showing the final hours of a Penn State University students life was at the center of a court hearing on Monday. We are hoping universities and national fraternities and sororities will work more closely together to hold people accountable and not point fingers at each other, and that when hazing happens, they act swiftly and hold people accountable. Moments later, fraternity brother Greg Rizzo sent a group text message saying Piazza had fallen down the stairs and might actually be a problem.. [24] Now, cases resulting in serious injury or death became a third-degree felony, with those convicted likely to expect a maximum of five years imprisonment and a maximum $15,000 fine. Sixteen of the accused and a representative of the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Beta Theta Pi were present on Monday in court, as two of the accused had waived their right to a preliminary hearing. 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. [14][4][2][1] For their alleged integral roles in Piazza's death, six were charged on more than 50 counts, including Daniel Casey (201), Young (200), Neuman (79), Lars Kenyon (52), Michelangelo Schiavone (52), and Nick Kubera (over 50). [2] Members were now forbidden to consume alcohol within the vicinity, and so it became known as a "dry" fraternity. At one point, some of the members sat on his legs, the detective said, and Piazza was moving around, trying to twist and turn. A little later, another brother went downstairs for a drink of water and walked Piazza to another room. According to Jim, the consequence of hazing in many states is comparable to a traffic ticket. [2][4] Suddenly he fell onto an iron railing, inflicting further head trauma. Let us know what's going on! The university adopted a no-tolerance policy toward hazing, implemented a scorecard for greek life organizations, and stipulated that students must earn at least 14 Penn State credits a semester and maintain a 2.5 GPA to participate in greek life. A slew of fraternity members are accused of failing to render appropriate aid to Piazza, and some are alleged to have physically assaulted him while trying to wake him. [15] Young, as the fraternity's President, had realised the legal consequences he alone could face, texting his girlfriend "I don't think you fully comprehend the situation; he looked fucking dead. Penn States Interfraternity Council (IFC) has also taken several steps to encourage reform. "This attempt to blame somebody who had no hand in what happened is just proof of how some of these defendants are going to go to try and exonerate themselves," she said. A doctor calculated that Piazza's blood-alcohol content at the time he fell down the stairs was between .28 and .36 percent. [2][4][5][1] Members Luke Visser and Greg Rizzo were the first on the scene, Rizzo immediately realising the severity of the situation. Prosecutors showed the video for the first time Monday in a preliminary hearing to determine if there's enough evidence to go to trial. The next few hours of video show him in and out of consciousness, rolling on the floor, struggling to stand and repeatedly falling and hitting his head before he disappears again the morning of February 3. One comment in particular drew the ire of Piazzas family. ", Barron added, "I am resolved to turn the pain and anguish radiating through our entire community into decisive action and reform, concentrating on the safety and well-being of students at Penn State. 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. Two minutes later, the video shows a group carrying Piazza up the stairs unconscious. The fraternity brothers were seen standing around Piazza but the prosecution pointed out that no one administered CPR. Sign up today! Piazza was pronounced dead at the Hershey Medical Center the morning of Feb. 4, 2017. This is the lifeblood and raison detre of fraternities, but it is also the powerful undercurrent for many social groups. [2][1][4] A surveillance video was also erased. [2][4][5] He texted the group "Tim Piazza might actually be a problem. State College Police Detective David Scicchitano said during emotional testimony on Monday that Piazza looked dead in the surveillance video, describing what those in court were about to see. Inevitably, family and friends (and defense attorneys) will describe them as good kids who made terrible mistakes just like countless people before them after similar tragedies. 10:47 p.m.: Piazza is carried back up the steps by Ryan Burke, Luke Visser, Greg Rizzo and Jonah Neuman. Example video title will go here for this video. The Centre County District Attorney said the video confirms that pledge Timothy Piazza was given 18 drinks in just over one hour and 22 minutes. Piazzas parents were in the front row bench of the preliminary court hearing, and his father, Jim, rocked in his seat as he listened to the detectives testimony. In the minutes leading up to his fall down the stairs, Piazza can be seen lurching through the rooms of the frat house, appearing very intoxicated. [2][4][5][1] The Gauntlet tasked each pledge to engage in alcohol consumption of various beverages in quick succession, including beer, vodka, and wine. This article has been tagged as NSFL due to its disturbing subject matter. Its a tragic situation, but criminally, Joey Ems did not commit a crime, he said. Your contribution will help the Collegian provide award winning journalism to the Penn State community and beyond. Piazza was hospitalized and died the next day. "With the creation of the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform, university leaders will now have a dedicated center for the study of best practices and assessment in fraternity and sorority life across the country," Penn State president Eric Barron said in a January press release. Defense lawyer William Brennan, who represents Joseph Ems, said the video absolved his client. The Piazza family is planning on filing a lawsuit against the fraternity members and the university. The eight defendants charged with manslaughter in the frat house pledge death of Timothy Piazza sit in court. Around 3 a.m., Piazza gets up and falls to the floor, hitting his head again. [8][9][4][5] It was later found that Piazza may have had a blood alcohol content level of .36. The video appears to show fraternity members pouring beer on him; Piazza appeared unconscious at one point but was later seen moving. CCTV of injured and dying Piazza, very pale, with frat members. [18][19] By January 2019, 13 guilty pleas were made, most receiving probation, fines, and community service. But that doesn't mean there's any intent involved in any of this.". They tried to slap and punch him awake. 235K views 5 years ago There are new developments in connection with the case of the fraternity hazing ritual at Penn State that allegedly caused the tragic death of 19-year-old student Tim. ", Penn State's Interfraternity Council said, "We agree that added social restrictions, education, transparency and professional staff support are critical. "The Piazza Center will provide an essential leadership role to compel the collective change required.. [2][4] As with other pledges, he was to undergo binge drinking to prove his worth to other members. The detective and the prosecutor said that about half an hour after the boy's fall, a group-text-app message was sent to frat members reading, "Tim Piazza might actually be a problem. Fraternity members did not call 911 until the morning of Feb. 3, about 12 hours after Piazza's fall, according to a report on the grand jury's investigation. Eighteen students have been charged with a variety of offenses, from involuntary manslaughter to alcohol-related offenses more than 1,000 counts in all. Further controversy emerged when it was found some brothers had tried to erase a basement surveillance video of them giving Piazza 18 drinks within fewer than 90 minutes. Further controversy emerged when it was found some brothers had tried to erase a basement surveillance video of them giving Piazza 18 drinks within fewer than 90 minutes. Dave Scicchitano testified. All Rights Reserved. Owning Up Online Curriculum Upper Elementary, Navigating Politics with Dignity Articles, How to create distance learning family success. As Wolf signed the bill into law, Piazzas parents, Jim and Evelyn, watched beside him. IE 11 is not supported. He was about to run "the gauntlet," one of the fraternity's initiation rituals. Ultimately, Jim said he hopes to continue the dialogue on hazing, increase transparency in greek life and harshen the punishments for hazing. Two others waived their right to a hearing. As Ems repositions Piazza on the couch, prosecutors say the video shows him punch Piazza in the abdomen, leaving a visible bruise on his side. Around 7 a.m., a fraternity pledge was sitting on a couch watching Piazza, and took either a photo or video of Piazza in that condition, a detective said in court. As a result of the incident, Penn State President Eric Barron permanently banned the fraternity from the university. Nationwide, the Piazzas continue to foster a dialogue on hazing and its consequences. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Showing someone elses vulnerability and potential embarrassment has become normalized behavior for amusement and increasing ones social status. A fraternity brother starts to drag him, the video appears to show, and then leaves him on the floor, throwing a blanket over him. Earlier this month, Penn State announced proposals for new safety reforms, including: university staff members monitoring social events; the university taking control of the fraternity and sorority misconduct and adjudication process; and permanent revocation of university recognition for any chapter involved in "hazing that involves alcohol, physical abuse, or any behavior that puts a students mental or physical health at risk. Timothy Piazza (C) with his parents Evelyn Piazza (L) and James Piazza (R) during Hunterdon Central Regional High School football's "Senior Night" at the high school's stadium in Flemington, New Jersey on Oct. 31, 2014. Four fraternity brothers carried his limp body back upstairs, where some poured liquid on him, and another slapped him three times in the face, the grand jury said. That never happened in the past, he said. 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. Additionally, since February 2017, Piazzas death has sparked a transformation in Penn State greek life, Pennsylvania hazing law and the national conversation on hazing. Prosecutors in Pennsylvania are set to announce on 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. There was a problem saving your notification. But the boys still did not call 911, he said. All night long, Piazza is either holding his stomach, lying down in a fetal position, or holding his head. When the same brother insisted again that Piazza required help, he was told others were biology and kinesiology majors so his opinion wasnt as valuable as theirs, the jury said. A few brothers appear to touch him or shake him, the detective testified the video shows. https://lostmediawiki.com/index.php?title=Timothy_Piazza_(lost_footage_of_Pennsylvania_State_University_student_during_fatal_fraternity_hazing_ritual;_2017)&oldid=204992. CNNs Eric Levenson contributed to this report. Piazza's fall down the stairs the night of Feb. 2 is not seen on video, but after the fall, four fraternity members were seen carrying him upstairs, and a large bruise was visible on his body, which prosecutors say was a spleen injury. remains ongoing, with two defendants, Young and Casey, having yet to be tried after appealing that evidence on their mobile phones and elsewhere should be suppressed. [2] With him also concerned with the rising hazing rituals commencing at the fraternity, Abbey decided to install over 14 CCTV cameras across the house to monitor behaviour and enhance emergency responses. But thats not all thats happening. The grand jury report released Friday also details Piazza's medical condition and a doctor's conclusion that he had consumed "a life-threatening amount of alcohol.". In recent focus groups with high school students about their social media use, I asked them if they had the right to post a picture of someone who is drunk and passed out on a couch. At no time did he ever say, 'You can't do this, this is improper.'". "A lot of people were involved," District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller told NBC News. BELLEFONTE, Pa. A security video showing the final hours of a Penn State University students life was at the center of a court hearing on Monday, as the victims grieving parents left before the footage began to play. He steppedover Piazza, lookedat him, wentto the kitchen, then returnedupstairs.A little later, another brother went downstairs for a drink of water and walkedPiazza to another room. Other attorneys quickly stood up and made the same argument, but the prosecutor strongly objected, and the judge ruled against the defendants. ABC News' Stephanie Gomulka contributed to this report. [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. The lighthearted behavior continued after the hearing as the defendants and their families gathered, the Piazzas lawyer, Tom Kline said. Why wouldnt they want to help a person who was hurt? By Emily Shapiro and Rachel Wenzlaff March 26, 2018, 12:25 PM Timothy John Piazza had graduated from Hunterdon Central Regional High School, and became a sophomore mechanical engineering student at Pennsylvania State University. 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