11 Texts That Will Come Back To Haunt Penn State Frat Boys Accused In Death

STATE COLLEGE, PA — While their pledging fraternity brother lay on the floor before them dying, numerous Penn State students exchanged a damning series of texts reflecting more concern with themselves than with their fatally injured friend, authorities revealed in court this week.

The texts were read aloud in Centre County Court this week at a preliminary hearing for the 18 Penn State fraternity brothers that are being charged in connection with the death of Timothy Piazza.

Piazza, a 19-year-old New Jersey native, consumed a dangerous amount of alcohol as part of a hazing ritual at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house on Feb. 2 into Feb. 3. Prosecutors allege that he then took a series of life-threatening spills before being left to his own devices, falling more and then lying mostly conscious in the home until late the next morning, when someone finally called for help.

The texts, gathered from court testimony by BuzzFeed and PennLive, suggested that the fraternity brothers were well aware of Piazza’s condition and their responsibility and feared the potential legal ramifications.

>>Penn State Frat House Death: Fast Drinking, Slow Death, Frantic Coverup In Grand Jury Timeline

They referenced an “obstacle course” of heavy drinking, which pledges had to traverse and that was generally thought of as the event which chiefly led to Piazza’s intoxication. They also discussed efforts to cover up the incident and their culpability, including urging text messages to be deleted.

Hours of the footage from the night of the frat party in question was presented in court last month. It showed an inebriated Piazza fall down the stairs before being carried up, while unconscious, by a group of frat brothers who then proceed to "slam" him, slap him, pour water on him and even throw a shoe at him, according to accounts of the footage.

Eleven of the texts which were read out in court are listed below:

Daniel Casey, 19, pledge-master:

• "I think we're (expletive). It's over. I don't want to go to jail for this."
• “Drink hazing can send me to jail for organizing the obstacle course.”
• “Don't worry, it's all staying in the house. Like only the brothers know.”

Brendan Young Jr., 21, chapter president:

• "I don't think you fully comprehend the situation. He looked (expletive) dead."
• "I just hope none of us get into any lawsuits.”
• "At the end of the day, I'm accountable for it all. I'll be the one going to court, paying for an attorney, and maybe put in jail."
• "Also the guys taking care of him didn't call an ambulance right away so they could get into trouble for negligence.”

Gary DiBielo, 21, fraternity brother:

• “It's not the fact that he drank. He drank because we hazed him too. Main word being hazed."

Braxton Becker, 20, fraternity brother:

• “It's awful Jeff. We got sloppy. Nugget for the last few days was saying we shouldn’t get the kids this (expletive) up on the first night but no one listened."
• "Yeah. I literally called him (frat brother) a while ago and told him to delete it (group text messages)."
• "We should be good.”

Casey, DiBielo and Young all face charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in addition to other counts. Becker faces charges of tampering with evidence.

The preliminary hearing will be continued at a date that has yet to be determined.

Photo: The Beta Theta Pi fraternity house, 220 N. Burrowes St., State College, PA (Google Earth)