Tim Piazza's Law Makes NJ Strictest State In The Nation On Hazing

NEW JERSEY — In late August, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a series of laws that increase the criminal penalties for hazing in all New Jersey middle schools, high schools and colleges.

The legislation is named after Timothy "Tim" Piazza, a Hunterdon County native who died in his sophomore year at Penn State, after falling down a flight of stairs in a fraternity hazing ritual. He was 19 years old.

The new legislation makes New Jersey the strictest state in the nation when it comes to fighting hazing: The law requires that, starting as early as middle school, all schools in the state write anti-hazing policies, which will be taught to teachers and students. This applies to all public and private schools in the state.

Piazza, who grew up in Readington and played football for Hunterdon Central High School, died in February 2017. This was after a night of drinking heavily at a Beta Theta Pi pledge acceptance party and then falling down the stairs. No one summoned help until late the next morning, and Piazza died the following day at the hospital.

Also, the new law upgrades hazing from a fourth-degree crime to a third-degree crime if it results in death or serious bodily injury, and from a disorderly persons offense to a fourth-degree crime if it results in someone being injured.

“With today’s bill signing, we honor Tim Piazza’s life and make our strongest effort yet to root out hazing to prevent similar tragedies," said Gov. Murphy.

“Our son, Tim Piazza, died more than four years ago as a result of fraternity hazing at Penn State University,” said Jim and Evelyn Piazza, Timothy's parents. “Since then, we along with other parents of hazing victims have worked to eradicate hazing on college campuses. This law will be the stiffest in the country."

After Piazza fell, some frat brothers discouraged others from calling 911

On Feb. 2, Piazza and his fellow pledge hopefuls got a text: Be at the Beta Theta frat house at 9:07 p.m. Wear a jacket, a button-down shirt and khakis. Don't be late.

It was bid acceptance night. Piazza and the 13 other pledges complied, arriving at the house on time to participate in a ritual of readings and singing songs in the dark, followed by another ritual called "the gauntlet."

Upon entering the house, each pledge was handed a bottle of vodka, and was instructed to drink it.

Then the "gauntlet" began: This was a drinking stations designed to make pledges consume alcohol rapidly and consisted of a beer "shotgunning" station, a wine bag station and a beer pong station. During the stations, as the pledges completed their drinking feats, the frat brothers poured beer on them.

Video evidence showed Piazza and other pledges being served 18 drinks in 82 minutes at the various drinking stations. After becoming heavily intoxicated, Pizza fell down the basement stairs, prosecutors said.

This grand jury testimony from the case can be painful to read: It shows that when Piazza's frat brothers found him at the bottom of the stairs, they placed him on a sofa.

The testimony also showed that some frat members wanted to call 911 after Piazza fell, but other fraternity members discouraged it, telling them they were "crazy," "insane" and violently shoving some young men up against the wall.

Instead, the frat brothers poked Piazza and poured cold water on his face in an attempt to wake him, although he remained unconscious.

Throughout the night, Piazza awoke several times on his own and tried to stand, even at one point trying to walk back up the stairs on his own. But he ultimately continually kept falling backwards and sustained even more serious head injuries, also rupturing his spleen.

It wasn't until the next morning, 13 hours later, when Piazza was found behind the bar in the basement, cold and breathing heavily that his frat brothers called 911.

By then it was too late: He died the next day after doctors performing brain surgery determined he could not overcome his injuries, which included a subdural hematoma as well as the ruptured spleen.

The Beta Theta Pi frat house on the Penn State campus has since been shut down and 26 members of the fraternity were criminally charged in Piazza's death, including eight charged with involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors also said they deleted video from that night after they were arrested.

However, a judge later dropped the manslaughter charges.

In the end, former Penn State Beta Theta Pi fraternity brothers Luke Visser, Joseph Sala, Joshua Kurczewski, Ryan Burke and Michael Bonattuci were given sentences ranging from a few months in jail to house arrest and probation, ABC News reported.

Read: Penn State Frat House Death: Fast Drinking, Slow Death, Frantic Coverup In Grand Jury Timeline (May 2017)

'As a member of a Greek organization, I am saying enough is enough'

The anti-hazing law has strong bipartisan support in New Jersey.

"As a member of a Greek organization, I am saying ‘enough is enough,'" said Senator Troy Singleton (D) of the Moorestown area. “For too long, hazing has been used as a rite of passage into college fraternities and sororities. The signing of this legislation will ensure there are real consequences for their actions.”

It was Timothy's friends and family who have been petitioning New Jersey lawmakers to have something be done after his death. Senator Kip Bateman, a Republican who represents that area of Hunterdon County, introduced the law after being contacted by Piazza's parents and friends.

"Shortly after his death, I received a letter from Matthew Prager, a 12-year-old student who was Timothy’s friend and neighbor, asking that I introduce anti-hazing legislation in Timothy’s name,” said Bateman. “To this day, I am grateful to Matthew for sending me that letter. No student deserves to go through the ritual humiliation that 19-year-old Timothy Piazza experienced on the night that he lost his life. With the signing of this bill, hazing will no longer be tolerated in New Jersey.”

“Hazing has been a problem plaguing our institutions of higher education for years,” said Assemblywoman Carol Murphy (D). “Far too many students looking to socialize and fit in with their peers have been pressured into participating in dangerous activities."

“Our greatest hope is that we never have to prosecute someone under this new law, and that we’re able to stamp out illegal hazing,” said New Jersey's Acting Attorney General Andrew Bruck. “But should it become necessary, we will not hesitate to use the enhanced tools that Governor Murphy and the Legislature have now given us to hold accountable those who break the law.”

RELATED

• Penn State Frat Party Victim's Family Shares Heartbreaking Details Of His Final Moments
• 'The Courtroom Is Silent': Reactions As Video Of Fatal Penn State Frat Party Is Played
• Penn State Frat House Death: Fast Drinking, Slow Death, Frantic Coverup In Grand Jury Timeline
• 911 Audio From Penn State Frat House Death Released

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