Former Penn State fraternity president, Brendan Young, and vice president, Daniel Casey, were sentenced to two to four months in jail, followed by three years of probation and community service, for their role in a hazing ritual that led to the death of student Timothy Piazza seven years ago. Piazza died after consuming large amounts of alcohol during the event, resulting in multiple falls that led to his death days later.
Young and Casey pleaded guilty to 14 counts of hazing and one count of reckless endangerment. They were the final two defendants to be sentenced in the case, in which more than two dozen fraternity members were initially charged. The incident sparked outrage over frat culture and hazing rituals, leading to school policy reforms and a national anti-hazing campaign.
Piazza, an engineering student, died after drinking excessive alcohol at the fraternity house during an initiation ritual. Security footage showed him struggling and falling multiple times before fraternity members failed to seek medical treatment for him until the next morning. Piazza suffered traumatic brain injuries and died due to reckless conduct by fraternity members, as stated by the grand jury report.
In the aftermath of Piazza’s death, Penn State implemented policy changes for sororities and fraternities, banned the Beta Theta Pi fraternity chapter, and the Piazza family advocated for the passage of the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania. Additionally, foundations and research centers have been established in memory of Piazza to support those in need and promote awareness and reform of fraternity and sorority culture.
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