Thats our goal. — -- High-quality surveillance video that captured the final movements of Penn State pledge Timothy Piazza as he was fatally injured at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house was played in court today, and the Piazza family attorney called the footage "gruesome.". Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Dave Scicchitano testified. They watched as he fell down a flight of stairs and they stepped over him as he lay unconscious on the floor. Timothy Piazza Watch the 5 p.m. news live right now on Local 4+ Expect More from Local 4 News at 5. [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. They pull out their phones and some make calls. District Attorney Parks Miller told NBC News that the charges came down to personal responsibility. The pledge took a video of Piazza on the floor and posted it on Snapchat. The students have not entered pleas. [2][4][5][1] They performed a series of tests to determine the engineering student's status. His death caused Penn State to permanently ban Beta Theta Pi and sent numerous former brothers to court for their roles in the alcohol-fueled rituals leading up to Piazzas death and the deletion of security footage depicting the fatal night. Penn State shut down the Beta chapter permanently after an investigation, and the Beta Theta Pi International Fraternity suspended the group. The charges against another fraternity brother, Joseph Sala, include involuntary manslaughter. [2][4][5][1], After sitting down on the couch, he reluctantly stood up upon being requested to by fraternity brothers. Culturally, young men are conditioned to not get too upset or emotional. For an optimal experience . "Piazza was pronounced dead at 1:20 a.m. Feb. 4 in the surgical Intensive Care Unit of Hershey Medical Center. 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. Eighteen students are facing charges in connection with Timothy Piazza's death. The surveillance video shows Piazza chugging from a bottle of liquor early in the night and chugging a beer at another point. 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. 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. This article originally appeared on USA Today here. Prosecutors showed the video for the first time Monday in a preliminary hearing to determine if there's enough evidence to go to trial. [4][5][1] As demanded, Piazza arrived with 13 other pledges at 21:07 to conduct the ritual. A Warner Bros. According to the report, Piazza is limp, his eyes are closed and he appears unconscious. DaniellaSilva is a reporter for NBC News, focusing on education and how laws, policies and practices affect students and teachers. 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 Timothy Piazza's life, from when he began the hazing ritual at the Penn State University fraternity, his fall down 15 feet of basement stairs to the 911 call for help the following morning and the desperate attempts by doctors to save his life. Part of the explanation is found in the bystander effect: when group dynamics prevent individuals from intervening on behalf of another in crisis. The video shows Rizzo take off Piazzas shirt and position him on the couch. But the challenge for all of us is to admit that we live in the same culture as Beta Theta Pi, and few of us know how to act in the one moment when it makes a difference. [17][15][2] This included all involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault charges, resulting in about 14 members now being charged with a total of 328 counts by November 2017. Sent every Thursday. Why do they want to wait until its too late? 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. 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. Forty-two minutes after finding Piazza in the basement and first realizing he was cold and stiff, a fraternity member called 911 and other fraternity members cleaned up "evidence of beer and alcohol," the detective said. [2][4][5][1] For instance, in 2016, Kordel Davis was a pledge at the fraternity. 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. Additionally, since February 2017, Piazzas death has sparked a transformation in Penn State greek life, Pennsylvania hazing law and the national conversation on hazing. "It was most difficult to hear the gruesome, horrific details of their son's death spelled out by a detective who investigated this horrible matter.". "We have ample evidence for every single one of them.". Emotional Intelligence For Students And Educators, How to Explain Social and Emotional Learning to Families. [16] He was later acquitted of tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice but was found guilty of hindering apprehension. Among federal bills introduced includes the Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act, which hopes to reduce hazing on college campuses and educate the community on hazing. One takes a look at him and keeps walking. Family attorney Tom Kline told NBC News outside court that this was an tough day for Piazza's relatives, some of whom walked out just before the video started playing. He looked dead. [2][4][5][1] He staggered towards the front door, but his inebriated state prevented him from opening it properly, and decided instead to open another door. Tim Piazza death and Hazing 36,963 views Jun 9, 2017 198 Dislike Share Julia King 24 subscribers This video is meant to raise awareness about the dangers of hazing. 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. The law created tiers for hazing in Pennsylvania, stipulated that institutions must release hazing reports, established categories of organizational and institutional hazing, and required institutions and high schools to adopt and enforce a written anti-hazing policy. 5th May 2017 report listing the charges of those involved and findings of fact concerning the case. A detective said in court that at that point Piazza had "totally lost color.". https://lostmediawiki.com/index.php?title=Timothy_Piazza_(lost_footage_of_Pennsylvania_State_University_student_during_fatal_fraternity_hazing_ritual;_2017)&oldid=204992. Penn State will release biannual hazing reports in accordance with the law. The impact of Piazzas death spanned further than changes in university policy. (Bridgewater, N.J.) Courier News and (East Brunswick, N.J.) Home News Tribune. [2][4][5][1] Fraternity brothers carried him back to the couch. IE 11 is not supported. As morning breaks, Piazza walks in the direction of the basement steps. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. We have tried to remain committed to being an active part of the solution within our community. Please enable JavaScript to pass antispam protection!Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser http://www.enable-javascript.com.Antispam by CleanTalk. As we move forward with these changes within our community, we plan to build Penn State into a model for all greek communities, Fontes said. 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. Some took videos so they could post his decline on Snapchat. NBCs Gabe Gutierrez reports for TODAY. Subscribe to TODAY: http://on.today.com/SubscribeToTODAY Watch the latest from TODAY: http://bit.ly/LatestTODAYAbout: TODAY brings you the latest headlines and expert tips on money, health and parenting. Police and EMTs then arrived at the house. Family attorney Kline said Jim and Evelyn Piazza were "grieving" and wanted to remember their son as they knew him, and not how he looked in his final moments. The judge continued the hearing until July 10 after the defense argued they didnt have any time to question the police detective or make arguments. Prosecutors played chilling video of that night, but not before Piazzas parents walked out of court. CCTV of injured and dying Piazza, very pale, with frat members. 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. For that reason, we will continue to push for a partnership between student leaders and the university.". We are highly offended by the insensitivity displayed given the severity of the crimes committed and ultimate outcome.. If you look around the country, universities across the board are taking a tougher stance against hazing. [2][4] Suddenly he fell onto an iron railing, inflicting further head trauma. Jim Piazza pauses as he addresses the media during a press conference explaining their role and feelings of 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. On their lawyers advice, the couple left for the hourslong viewing of the video. Additionally, fraternities and sororities are required to register socials and are limited to 10 socials per semester. Eight members of the fraternity face involuntary manslaughter charges in Piazzas February 4 death. On Feb. 2, 2017, Penn State student Timothy Piazza walked into the Beta Theta Pi fraternitys doors for bid acceptance night. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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. And thats hard. Next he gets up again and walks into the side of the stairs railing, and falls down onto the stone floor, the video appears to show. Another member named Qobi Qcianoo took a Snapchat video of Tim laying on the floor, and then left the house. While the state laws that the Piazzas advocate for deal with the crime of hazing, federal laws they promote deal with accountability and transparency. Two minutes later, the video shows a group carrying Piazza up the stairs unconscious. One of them tries to pull his fingers apart. [4][1][2], However, the biggest case of evidence tampering came when the State College police and the FBI discovered a basement surveillance video had been manually erased by a Beta Theta Pi member. [2][4] As with other pledges, he was to undergo binge drinking to prove his worth to other members. Michael Bonatucci, 19, is among those facing the most serious charges, including aggravated assault. [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). Thankfully the judge quickly brought them in order, Jim Piazza said after court. "The Piazza Center will provide an essential leadership role to compel the collective change required.. Authorities claim that despite Piazzas injuries, it took 12 hours before a member of the fraternity called 911. But that doesn't mean there's any intent involved in any of this.". 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. Piazza is seen being carried upstairs by four brothers - including Visser and Jonah Neuman, 19, of Nashville, Tenn. ", An analysis of a fraternity brother's cellphone found that during that time he searched the phrases "falling asleep after head injury," "cold extremities in drunk person" and "binge drinking, alcohol, bruising or discoloration, cold feet and cold hands.". Other lawyers joined in the joke, shocking the Piazzas. 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. ABC News' Stephanie Gomulka contributed to this report. In the video, Piazza appeared visibly drunk during the hazing ritual on Feb. 2; he was wobbling as he walked and was unable to stay still, and he appeared more intoxicated than the other students. Lawyers for the victim's family described the video as "gruesome." Sixteen Penn State fraternity brothers were in court Monday, all facing charges connected with the death of a pledge. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. [2][4][5][1] By the time three brothers arrived, the unconscious Piazza had a bloody face and was struggling to breathe, with him also being unnaturally cold. They put him on a couch, put a blanket over him and stood around and talked for a while, Scicchitano said. [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. The act would also require universities to report instances of hazing under the Clery Act. He's later seen trying unsuccessfully to open the front door, then severely staggering drunkenly toward the basement steps at about 10:45 p.m., the grand jury report said. [18][19][20] Therefore, it was considered remarkable when Michael Bonatucci, Luke Visser, and Joshua Kurczewski, were all given jail time upon agreeing a plea deal which saw them found guilty of hazing in exchange for dropping more serious counts. These guides help people quickly understand social and emotional concepts to put them into action. At one point, a brother comes over to him, Piazza gets up and walks with him, then falls down another set of stairs. He looked dead. [20], As of 2023, Pennsylvania v. Alpha Upsilon et al. At no time did he ever say, 'You can't do this, this is improper.'". It is our ambition for Penn State to lead our country into a new era of greek life. Sign up today! The video appears to show the fraternity brothers putting a backpack on Piazza so he would not roll onto his back and choke on his vomit; as they placed the backpack on, Piazza's head snapped backward and moved frequently. Among changes made includes the creation of the vice president for health and safety role, the creation of a dry period during recruitment, the passing of a vote to make all new member processes four weeks long, the drafting of new social expectations and guidelines and the restructuring of Standards of Excellence. Piazzas parents left courtroom as the video began to play. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Why did the fraternity brothers dismiss the one young man (and pledge) at the party who wanted to call an ambulance? It highlights the story of. He reports for all platforms of NBC News, including "TODAY," "NBC Nightly News," MSNBC and NBCNews.com. For the first time, prosecutors showed surveillance video from the night Timothy Piazza died. Throughout the night, Piazza is rolling on the floor, getting up, stumbling back down and slamming into the stairs or furniture, the video shows. [2][4][5][1] It was clear from the students that Piazza was more than just unconscious. "But they decided that in the end this was not something that they should do. At the end of the day, I'm accountable for it all, I'll be the one going to court, paying for attorney, and maybe put in jail. Penn States Interfraternity Council (IFC) has also taken several steps to encourage reform. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. [4] Another pledge, Qobi Quainoo, came in and noticed the engineering student's predicament. Here are essential tools to help. [4][14] By May 2017, 1,098 charges were filed. 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 legal limit for driving while intoxicated is .08 percent. Lawyers for some of the defendants said the video only told part of the story. It is known that surveillance cameras had captured Piazza's final hours, and showed that fellow fraternity brothers had contributed towards his death. Piazza family attorney Tom Kline told ABC News today, "The video is horrific, it is gruesome, it is something that you couldnt imagine until youve seen it.". The Beta Theta Pi fraternity -- which has since been barred from Penn State -- is facing charges including involuntary manslaughter and hazing. He looked like a corpse, Scicchitano said. [1][11] Nevertheless, courtroom sketches of key highlights were shown in media reports. Note: Some of the following grand jurytestimony is graphic in nature. 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. A doctor calculated that Piazza's blood-alcohol content at the time he fell down the stairs was between .28 and .36 percent. Updated This was no drinking party. Piazza is limp and has a visible bruise on his abdomen. 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. Read the entire grand jury report on desktopat the bottom of this article. [2][4][1] Piazza would momentarily regain consciousness on a few occasions. Why wouldnt they want to help a person who was hurt? When they do, its their fault and its funny, so other people have the right to record it. [2][4][5][1] It should be noted that he along with 11 others were under the minimum drinking age of 21. 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. Before the three hours of surveillance footage began playing, Scicchitano said it showed that sometime after Pizzas initial fall, fraternity members picked him up and slammed him on his back on a couch. And my client was only with him for seconds. 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. "This was an extraordinarily difficult day for the Piazza family," he said. 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. In addition, IFC vice president for communications Leonard Fontes III said the IFC is working to increase its accountability and transparency among chapters, in a statement from the IFC. Additionally, Scicchitano testified that Quainoo's video, while uploaded to Snapchat, was promptly deleted by the latter. His eyes are closed and his legs and arms are visibly rigid, State College Police Det. [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. Showing someone elses vulnerability and potential embarrassment has become normalized behavior for amusement and increasing ones social status. As Timothy Piazza was slowly dying at the Beta Theta Pi's pledge event on Feb. 2, he was surrounded by people who not only refused to help him but were either unimpressed or entertained by his suffering. [2][5][1] But before they phoned 911, some concerned with the legal ramifications of Piazza's condition decided to clear up evidence by trying (and failing) to dress up the student and unclench his fingers, with another also clearing up blood. "A lot of people were involved," District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller told NBC News. "An analysis of a fraternity brother's cellphone found that during that time he searched the phrases "falling asleep after head injury," "cold extremities in drunk person" and "binge drinking, alcohol, bruising or discoloration, cold feet and cold hands. [2][4] Piazza was now making involuntary movements, and after two students fell on him after engaging in drunken wrestling nearby, he began twitching and vomiting. Read the entire grand jury report on desktop at the bottom of this article. [4][1] Prosecutors believed Young, Casey, and Kenyon masterminded a cover-up of the case. [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]. 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. Nationwide, the Piazzas continue to foster a dialogue on hazing and its consequences. 2. Piazza gets up again and walks toward the front door, before he staggers and slams into the door, the video appears to show. The security video showing the final hours of a Penn State University students life was at the center of a court hearing on Monday. 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. "Other fraternity brothersdiscovered 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. [25][26][27] Pennsylvania State University was accused of turning a blind eye regarding the extent of hazing rituals conducted among its fraternities and sororities, with many former pledges stating the acts occurred behind closed doors. Your source for Local information & breaking news across southeast Michigan plus 4Warn. He fell onto a stone floor at 5 a.m. Fifteen minutes later, a fraternity member wentdownstairs for a drink of water. [18][19] By January 2019, 13 guilty pleas were made, most receiving probation, fines, and community service. [4][5][1][2] While he was an organ donor, his organs were so badly damaged by the ordeal that only one kidney could be salvaged and donated. "[4][1][2] Young would allegedly instruct Casey to conduct evidence tampering, by instructing pledges to clear up the basement and remove any signs of alcohol. "The Piazzas made a decision that it was incompatible with their mental health to sit and watch this video," he said. [2][4][5][1] Davis, realising the situation that he himself was in the previous year, retreated in order to find a club officer. Ultimately, Jim said he hopes to continue the dialogue on hazing, increase transparency in greek life and harshen the punishments for hazing. [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. [1][2] On-paper, it appeared his most ideal fraternity to join, as Beta Theta Pi saw Piazza as one of their top picks, with many members also studying engineering or biology. The pledge took a video of Piazza on the floor and posted it on Snapchat. "The Piazza familys ultimate goal is to make sure that this never happens again," Kline added. Two hours later, he was carried out of the basement by four fraternity brothers. [6][7][2] He was aghast when he learned current members were already causing serious damage to the renovated house. Would anyone who was there that night define their behavior as malicious? The Piazza family is planning on filing a lawsuit against the fraternity members and the university. [2][4][5][1], Other brothers arrived to prevent Piazza from making movements. Fraternity members put a backpack containing textbooks on him so he would not suffocate on his own vomit, the jury wrote. The video showed the members talking among themselves and trying to dress Piazza before calling authorities, he said. Another captures Piazza on his phone as he rolls around. All night long, Piazza is either holding his stomach, lying down in a fetal position, or holding his head. Privacy Policy. [4][5][1][2], Surgeons would determine that Piazza suffered from a ruptured spleen which spilled around 80% of his blood into his abdomen, a class IV haemorrhagic shock and a swollen brain. 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. [12][13] At 10:48 am, 911 was called, Piazza being taken initially to Mount Nittany Medical Center, only to be sent to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for emergency treatment. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. Note: Some of the following grand jury testimony is graphic in nature. Piazza tried to get up around 3:20 a.m. but fell backward and hit his head on the wood floor, the report said. Were certainly proud of the difference weve been able to make at Penn State already.

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