The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Manslaughter, assault dropped in Penn State frat death case
HARRISBURG » Prosecutors said Tuesday they were dropping involuntarymanslaughter and assault charges against five Penn State University fraternity brothers in the death of a pledge who consumed a lot of alcohol, repeatedly fell down and suffered a fractured skull.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the decision a day before a preliminary hearing for 12 members of Beta Theta Pi to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to head toward trial on the remaining allegations related to the death of Tim Piazza, of Lebanon, New Jersey.
Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore engineering student, consumed a dangerous amount of alcohol and suffered severe injuries in a series of falls inside the now-closed fraternity on the night of a February 2017 pledge bid acceptance ceremony.
Security cameras inside the frat house recorded Piazza’s excruciating night, including hapless efforts by members of the fraternity to address his dire condition. Piazza was found to have a fractured skull and a shattered spleen, with massive internal bleeding and other injuries.
The set of 12 defendants due in court this week is separate from 14 fraternity members whose charges were previously sent to county court after marathon preliminary hearings. The five whose most serious charges are being dropped still face lesser counts, as do the other seven.
Defense attorney John Sughrue described the manslaughter and assault allegations as ridiculous and absurd.
“These charges were strictly headline-grabbers,” said Sughrue, who represents defendant Bo Han Song.
Song, 20, of Wayne, still faces charges of reckless endangerment, hazing and alcohol violations.
Aggravated- and simple-assault 19, of Coopersburg; and and involuntary-manslaughter Aidan O’Brien, 20 of West Chester. charges also are being Six others face misdemeanor dropped against Joshua hazing and alcohol-related Kurczewski, 20, of Erie; charges, while Ryan Burke, 21, of Scranton; the 12th defendant, Braxton Jonathan Kanzler, Becker, 21, of Niskayuna, New York, is accused further to Superior of evidence tampering Court. and obstruction. Shapiro told reporters
The 12 were charged in in his Harrisburg office November after the FBI on Tuesday that those recovered deleted security five defendants — Brendan camera footage from the Young, Daniel Casey, Jonah fraternity house basement, Neuman, Gary DiBileo and where Piazza was found Luke Visser — had “specific unconscious the morning knowledge of Tim’s fall at after the party. Fraternity a time when medical intervention members waited 40 minutes would have saved before summoning an Tim’s life.” ambulance. The Democratic attorney
Shapiro announced general also is seeking last week his office wants to reinstate reckless a judge to restore involuntary-manslaughter endangerment against six defendants, hazing against charges that were dismissed two and conspiracy against against five of the eight, all charges that were 14 who previously went thrown out in the case through preliminary hearings. against the earlier group of 14.
Shapiro said he believes If charges against the 12 involuntary-manslaughter are sent to county court as charges are justified in the a result of this week’s hearing, five instances in which he they might be combined claims defendants planned with the other 14 or participated in a drinking for one trial or be split into station hazing gauntlet, smaller groups and handled knew Piazza had fallen separately. and did not render aid. Other defense attorneys The Centre County president in the case have said their judge will determine clients are praying for Piazza’s if the charges should be reinstated, family but have and, if not, Shapiro called the charges a waste said he intends to appeal of time.