Heart-wrenching and incomprehensible’: 18 fraternity members charged in Penn State hazing death

[Disir]

He was found unconscious at the bottom of the stairs, according to the findings. Shortly before midnight, a fraternity brother wrote on a group message that Piazza “might actually be a problem. He fell 15 feet down a flight of stairs, hair-first, going to need help.”

Later video showed Piazza on a couch, unresponsive even as fraternity brothers poured water on his face, his left arm falling limply when someone lifted it, according to the grand jury presentment. Someone sat on his legs to keep him from rolling off the couch. At one point, a newly initiated member of the fraternity saw Piazza, became upset and screamed at the others that they needed to get him to the hospital. Someone pushed him against a wall and ordered him to leave, telling him they had the situation under control. When he tried to convince another brother to call 911, the new member was told he was crazy.
At about 1 a.m., fraternity brothers put a backpack full of books on Piazza, who had thrown up and was twitching, in an attempt to keep him from rolling onto his back, according to the jurors’ findings. After 3 a.m., Piazza tried to stand but fell, hitting his head on the floor. He fell again at 4 a.m. At 5 a.m., he fell, hit his head on an iron railing and landed on a stone floor. He got up, trying to get to the front door, but fell and hit his head on the door. Fraternity brothers stepped over him. After 7 a.m., Piazza fell down the basement stairs again. When fraternity members found him, unconscious, cold to the touch, and with blood on his face the next morning, it was more than 40 minutes before they called 911.

Piazza died the next morning.
‘Heart-wrenching and incomprehensible’: 18 fraternity members charged in Penn State hazing death
Prosecutors also claim there was an effort to conceal and destroy evidence. The fraternity brothers communicated through a group messaging system, which showed that the day after the party, Young, the president, instructed another member to clean the basement and get rid of any traces of alcohol.

In one series of texts, Young wrote that the fraternity could be sued “for giving [Piazza] alcohol that contributed to his death. Also the guys taking care of him didn't call an ambulance right away. ... I just don't know what I'm liable for as president.”

Young later directed that one of the messaging systems be deleted.

Reached by phone, Young’s mother declined comment.


In one recovered message, a pledge member told fellow pledges: "If need be, just tell them what I told you guys, found him behind an away bar the next morning at around 10 a.m., and he was freezing cold, but we decided to call 911 instantly, because the kid's health was paramount."

.....Penn State president Eric Barron at a news conference called the “alleged details in the grand jury presentment … sickening and difficult to understand.”

He said he hoped the serious charges the students face will serve as a stern warning against hazing and excessive drinking, and he called on alumni and parents to work with the university on resolving the problem.
No charges were filed against Tim Bream, 56, a Penn State assistant athletic director and head trainer for the football team who lived in the Beta Theta Pi house. Bream was employed by the fraternity as an adviser.

Parks Miller said Friday that Bream said he was in his room at the fraternity house on the night of Piazza’s death, but the investigation did not reveal any evidence that would result in charges.
Students charged with manslaughter in Penn State frat death

Are they over 18? They are adults. The "adult" that was there is not being charged. The moment that these kids turn 18---they are adults. In some states 17 but I will go with 18. You have 17 years and 364 days to teach them but on day 365 there are no more tests. That's it.

The whole thing irritates the hell out of me on many different levels.

 

[yiostheoy]

Hazing is serious business at the colleges.

There is a lot of alcohol involved.

And that much alcohol is dangerous.

I remember drinking a whole bottle of Scotch at mine, passing out, with no memories of anything in the morning.

 

[OldLady]

He was found unconscious at the bottom of the stairs, according to the findings. Shortly before midnight, a fraternity brother wrote on a group message that Piazza “might actually be a problem. He fell 15 feet down a flight of stairs, hair-first, going to need help.”

Later video showed Piazza on a couch, unresponsive even as fraternity brothers poured water on his face, his left arm falling limply when someone lifted it, according to the grand jury presentment. Someone sat on his legs to keep him from rolling off the couch. At one point, a newly initiated member of the fraternity saw Piazza, became upset and screamed at the others that they needed to get him to the hospital. Someone pushed him against a wall and ordered him to leave, telling him they had the situation under control. When he tried to convince another brother to call 911, the new member was told he was crazy.
At about 1 a.m., fraternity brothers put a backpack full of books on Piazza, who had thrown up and was twitching, in an attempt to keep him from rolling onto his back, according to the jurors’ findings. After 3 a.m., Piazza tried to stand but fell, hitting his head on the floor. He fell again at 4 a.m. At 5 a.m., he fell, hit his head on an iron railing and landed on a stone floor. He got up, trying to get to the front door, but fell and hit his head on the door. Fraternity brothers stepped over him. After 7 a.m., Piazza fell down the basement stairs again. When fraternity members found him, unconscious, cold to the touch, and with blood on his face the next morning, it was more than 40 minutes before they called 911.

Piazza died the next morning.
‘Heart-wrenching and incomprehensible’: 18 fraternity members charged in Penn State hazing death
Prosecutors also claim there was an effort to conceal and destroy evidence. The fraternity brothers communicated through a group messaging system, which showed that the day after the party, Young, the president, instructed another member to clean the basement and get rid of any traces of alcohol.

In one series of texts, Young wrote that the fraternity could be sued “for giving [Piazza] alcohol that contributed to his death. Also the guys taking care of him didn't call an ambulance right away. ... I just don't know what I'm liable for as president.”

Young later directed that one of the messaging systems be deleted.

Reached by phone, Young’s mother declined comment.


In one recovered message, a pledge member told fellow pledges: "If need be, just tell them what I told you guys, found him behind an away bar the next morning at around 10 a.m., and he was freezing cold, but we decided to call 911 instantly, because the kid's health was paramount."

.....Penn State president Eric Barron at a news conference called the “alleged details in the grand jury presentment … sickening and difficult to understand.”

He said he hoped the serious charges the students face will serve as a stern warning against hazing and excessive drinking, and he called on alumni and parents to work with the university on resolving the problem.
No charges were filed against Tim Bream, 56, a Penn State assistant athletic director and head trainer for the football team who lived in the Beta Theta Pi house. Bream was employed by the fraternity as an adviser.

Parks Miller said Friday that Bream said he was in his room at the fraternity house on the night of Piazza’s death, but the investigation did not reveal any evidence that would result in charges.
Students charged with manslaughter in Penn State frat death

Are they over 18? They are adults. The "adult" that was there is not being charged. The moment that these kids turn 18---they are adults. In some states 17 but I will go with 18. You have 17 years and 364 days to teach them but on day 365 there are no more tests. That's it.

The whole thing irritates the hell out of me on many different levels.

Young drunk people make some big mistakes out of fear of getting in "trouble." I recall a case where I attended college, when a young college kid was partying with friends, fell in the river and drowned, and no one helped or called for help because they were all wasted. Keep it secret. His body washed up the following spring.

 

[HenryBHough]

Fraternities seem to be thought of by liberal indoctrinates as "safe spaces". Maybe only in the "free speech free" sense?

 

[BULLDOG]

In another environment, I don't think any of the fraternity members would have been so callous toward the boy's obvious medical emergency. They were feeding off of the group-think that everything would turn out fine in the end. It reminds me of the Trump supporters who are perfectly happy to believe all the hateful things Trump says, but still choose to believe that nothing bad can happen.