Scandal For The Death Of A University Student

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

In what is one of the worst tragedies and scandals the Pennsylvania State University has experienced, a group of 18 students faces several criminal charges for the death of one of their classmates during a rite of initiation in a brotherhood.

State Attorney Stacy Parks Miller has charged defendants with crimes including, but not limited to, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and reckless threat against eight of them. Four more are accused of, among other charges, reckless threat and hazing, while six more face charges of falsifying evidence.

The Beta Theta Pi brotherhood is also charged, inter alia, with charges of manslaughter.

The tragedy occurred in early February when the brotherhood held an initiation ritual for students who had been accepted as "club" members that included a high intake of various kinds of alcoholic beverages.

After accepting the challenge, Timothy Piazza fell down the stairs without a single one of his companions helping him. What's more, no one called an ambulance until twelve hours later.

According to a report by a grand jury, after falling about four meters down the stairs, the 19-year-old was unconsciously taken to one of the bedrooms on an upper floor. There, his companions slapped him and beat him on the abdomen. After 3 in the morning, Piazza tried to stand up, but fell, hitting his head on the ground. Several hours later he tried to do the same thing twice more, with similar results.

In the early hours of the morning it was evident that the young man was experiencing serious difficulties, but his companions continued to ignore the situation. At around 10 in the morning they found him in the basement lying on his back, with difficulties in breathing, his eyes half open and blood on his face. Three of his companions carried the unconscious body back to the sofa, but none called an ambulance.

In the surveillance images, the researchers could see how his fraternity "brothers" shake his body and tried unsuccessfully to react. Finally at 10:48 am one of them called 911 and was rushed to the hospital. Piazza died the following day.

The grand jury concluded that after Piazza was taken to the hospital there was an attempt to hide evidence of the actions that contributed to his death, such as deleting text messages.

Speaking to ABC News, the lawyer for the family of the deceased, Tom Kline, described the actions of his colleagues as "unimaginable depravity".