Brendan Young, 28, and Daniel Casey, 27, former leaders of the now-defunct Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State, have been sentenced to two to four months in jail for their roles in the 2017 hazing death of 19-year-old Timothy Piazza. The sentencing took place on Tuesday (October 1) in Centre County Court. Both Young and Casey will be eligible for work release and will also serve three years of probation and perform community service.
Piazza, an engineering student from Lebanon, New Jersey, was among 14 pledges seeking to join the fraternity on the night of February 2, 2017. During an initiation event known as an "obstacle course," Piazza consumed at least 18 drinks in less than two hours. Security camera footage showed Piazza falling down the basement steps, after which he was carried back upstairs by others. He spent the night on a first-floor couch, exhibiting signs of severe pain. It took fraternity members nearly 12 hours to call for help. Piazza suffered severe head and abdominal injuries and later died at a hospital.
Young, who was the fraternity's president, and Casey, the vice president and pledge master, both pleaded guilty in July to 14 counts of hazing and a single count of reckless endangerment, all misdemeanors. They were the last two criminal defendants to be sentenced in a case that prompted Pennsylvania lawmakers to crack down on hazing.
"Our thoughts are with the Piazza family and everyone affected by this tragedy," Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement. "Nothing can undo the harm Tim suffered seven years ago — nothing can bring Tim back to his family and friends."
More than two dozen fraternity members faced charges at one point. Most pleaded guilty to hazing and alcohol-related counts, while a smaller number entered a diversion program designed for first-time, nonviolent offenders. Prosecutors were unable to get more serious charges — including involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault — approved by judges.
Penn State banned the fraternity following Piazza's death. Pennsylvania state lawmakers passed legislation making the most severe forms of hazing a felony, requiring schools to maintain policies to combat hazing, and allowing the confiscation of fraternity houses where hazing has occurred. Had this statute been in place at the time of Piazza's death, the defendants would have faced stiffer penalties, according to the attorney general's office.