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Timothy "Tim" J. Piazza, 19 of Lebanon, NJ, died at Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA, after being hazed at Beta Theta Pi fraternity on Saturday, February 4, 2017, according to his obituary and the AG's release.
Brendan Young, 28, of Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Daniel Casey, 27, of Ronkonkoma, New York, pleaded guilty to multiple misdemeanors including 14 counts of hazing and a single count of reckless endangerment, according to the release.
"Young served as president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and Casey was vice president and pledge master at the time of the February 2017 offenses," as stated in the release.
Tim was a sophomore when he pushed to consume "large quantities of alcohol during an initiation event referred to as an 'obstacle course,' where the pledges consumed significant amounts of alcohol," he AG explained. Piazza was found unresponsive the next morning and died days later "as a result of multiple falls incurred subsequent to his intoxication," as stated in the release.
Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf passed the Timothy Piazza Anti-Hazing law as a result of this fatal incident, which increased penalties for hazing, including a felony-graded offense when serious injury or death results, the AG detailed in the release.
The cases are being prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Zarallo and Deputy Attorney General Julia van Leeuwen.
The sentencing is scheduled for both men on Oct. 1, 2024.
A memorial has been started in Tim's memory, click here to learn more.
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