Seven years after Penn State student Timothy Piazza died following a hazing incident at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, two of his former fraternity brothers have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from their actions during a pledging event.
Former Beta Theta Pi President Brendan Young, 28, and Vice President Daniel Casey, 27, each pleaded guilty to 14 misdemeanor counts of hazing and one count of reckless endangerment, The Philly Voice reports.
On Feb. 2, 2017, Piazza and 13 others participated in an initiation party where pledges drank large amounts of alcohol during an “obstacle course.” Investigators determined the 19-year-old consumed at least 18 drinks in under two hours.
Piazza also sustained severe head and abdominal injuries after falling several times, including down a flight of stairs. Instead of calling 911, Piazza was moved to a couch where fraternity brothers periodically slapped, punched, and poured beer on him throughout the night, a grand jury found. No one called an ambulance until 11 a.m. the next day. Piazza died on Feb. 4.
RELATED: 3 Former Frat Brothers Sentenced to Jail in Penn State Hazing Death
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said Tuesday that the cases of Young and Casey, who participated in and facilitated the hazing event, took years to resolve due to a series of pretrial court rulings and appeals. The 14 counts of hazing represent a count of hazing for each member of the 2017 pledge class subjected to the obstacle course, and the reckless endangerment charge pertains to Piazza, according to My Central Jersey. Young and Casey are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 1.
“There should be no discussion of this case without recognizing the tragic loss of life and resulting devastation for Mr. Piazza’s family and friends,” said Henry. “Mr. Piazza was simply seeking to join a social organization for the benefits of community and shared experiences, as so many university students do. Most of those students go on to successful lives and careers — basic expectations following college which Mr. Piazza never had the opportunity to experience.”
Timothy Piazza Hazing Death Spurred Change
Piazza’s death resulted in one of the largest hazing indictments in U.S. history. The fraternity and 18 of its members were indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges and Beta Theta Pi was permanently banned from Penn State. Although court rulings led to the dismissal of many of the major charges, four served prison terms for their roles.
Laws stiffening penalties for hazing have also been enacted since Piazza’s death. In 2018, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law, commonly referred to as “Tim’s Law.” The law provides immunity to individuals needing medical assistance as a result of hazing or those who seek help for them, strengthens penalties for organizations that haze and introduces four new criminal offenses, including hazing, aggravated hazing, organizational hazing, and institutional hazing. It also requires all organizations that consist primarily of students to publish anti-hazing policies and publicly report hazing violations.
RELATED: 7 Hazing Tragedies That Spurred Harsher Anti-Hazing Laws in 9 States
In 2021, Governor Phil Murphy signed Timothy J. Piazza Law which stiffens the penalties for hazing in New Jersey, Piazza’s home state. Under the law, public and non-public middle schools and high schools as well as higher education institutions must adopt anti-hazing policies and penalties for violations of the policies. The law also upgraded hazing from a fourth-degree crime to a third-degree crime if it results in death or serious injury.
Penn State also established the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform which focuses on campus prevention strategies to combat hazing, hazardous drinking, and other dangerous behaviors.
