Frat brothers charged in Penn State death

BELLEFONTE, Pa. — Eighteen Penn State fraternity brothers have been charged with crimes ranging up to involuntary manslaughter in the case of a pledge who authorities say repeatedly fell down a flight of stairs after he and others were made to run a gantlet of drinking stations where they guzzled vodka, beer and wine.

A grand jury investigation, aided by security camera footage from the Beta Theta Pi chapter house, found that fraternity members resisted getting help for Timothy Piazza, 19, before his death in February. The grand jury said their actions in some cases may have worsened his injuries.

“This is a very sad day for Centre County — it’s been sad ever since we lost a child for reasons that are totally preventable,” Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said.

Eight of the fraternity brothers and the chapter were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Other charges are aggravated and simple assault, evidence tampering, alcohol-related violations and hazing.

The grand jury said the fraternity was stocked with booze for the Feb. 2 ceremony at which Piazza, a sophomore engineering student, and 13 others accepted pledge bids. The pledges were pressured to run a gantlet that required them to chug vodka, shotgun beers and drink wine.

Piazza fell down a flight of stairs that night and fell several other times, injuring his head, Miller said. The next morning, he fell down the same steps a second time and was unconscious when help was summoned.

Piazza, of Lebanon, N.J., died Feb. 4 as a result of a traumatic brain injury.

Miller said doctors estimate Piazza had a blood-alcohol content of nearly .40 percent the night of the pledge ceremony.