Two former leaders of Penn State's Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Brendan Young and Daniel Casey, have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the 2017 hazing death of 19-year-old Timothy Piazza. Both men pleaded guilty earlier this year to 14 counts of hazing and a single count of reckless endangerment. On October 1, 2024, they were sentenced to two to four months in jail, followed by three years of probation and community service. This marks the final chapter in the legal proceedings related to the incident that shocked the nation and led to legislative reforms on hazing in Pennsylvania.
Piazza, an engineering student from New Jersey, was a pledge at Beta Theta Pi when he was subjected to a brutal initiation event known as the "obstacle course." During this event, he was forced to consume 18 alcoholic drinks in less than two hours.
WATCH: Trump invited an 8th-grade girl from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to explain why we need national school choice and how it helped her break out of horrible inner-city schools
She is now the student president at her new school 🔥
"I am so thankful for this opportunity. I will not… pic.twitter.com/DY7NT2litr
— George (@BehizyTweets) October 1, 2024
After becoming heavily intoxicated, Piazza fell down a flight of stairs and suffered severe head and abdominal injuries. Despite his obvious distress, fraternity members failed to call for help until nearly 12 hours later. By the time he reached the hospital, Piazza had suffered catastrophic injuries and died days later.
Security camera footage from the fraternity house revealed the harrowing details of Piazza’s final hours. Fraternity brothers carried his limp body upstairs after his fall, and instead of seeking medical attention, left him on a couch where he exhibited signs of severe pain. Piazza’s death led to a national conversation about hazing on college campuses, and his family has since been vocal advocates for reform.
Two leaders at Penn State fraternity sentenced to 2-4 months in prison for their roles in 2017 death of Timothy Piazza at hazing eventhttps://t.co/I2nBwJrh0Q
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) October 2, 2024
In the aftermath of the tragedy, more than 20 fraternity members were charged in connection with the hazing, with a number of them pleading guilty to lesser charges related to hazing and alcohol violations.
Young, who was the fraternity president at the time, and Casey, the vice president and pledge master, were among the last to face sentencing. Both will serve their sentences at the Centre County Correctional Facility, where they will be eligible for work release.
This case also prompted significant changes in Pennsylvania's anti-hazing laws. Following Piazza's death, the state enacted legislation making the most egregious forms of hazing a felony, allowing for harsher penalties and stricter oversight of Greek organizations. Under the new laws, fraternities involved in such incidents can have their houses confiscated. Beta Theta Pi has since been permanently banned from Penn State.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry expressed her condolences to the Piazza family after the sentencing, acknowledging that while the legal process has concluded, nothing could undo the pain caused by this tragic event. She emphasized the importance of the reforms brought about by the case, hoping they will prevent future tragedies.
