Penn State Frat Brother Pleads Guilty In Pledge's Death

A former Penn State fraternity brother has pleaded guilty to hazing charges in connection with the death of a pledge during a night of heavy drinking in 2017.

Ryan Burke, 21, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to nine charges, including four counts of hazing, in connection with the death of 19-year-old Timothy Piazza, the Centre Daily Times first reported. Burke, a Scranton resident, is scheduled to be sentenced July 31. Burke was also charged with four counts of a misdemeanor alcohol charge, as well as purchasing alcohol as a minor, court records show.

Piazza, a Hunterdon County, N.J. native, died in February 2017 after drinking heavily at a Beta Theta Pi pledge acceptance party then falling down a flight of stairs. No one summoned help until late the next morning, and Piazza died the following day at the hospital.

Burke, who was captured on camera giving alcoholic drinks to the teen in the hours before his death, is the first to concede guilt in the high-profile hazing case that has drawn national attention to Penn State's Greek culture.

"This young man is coming forward to accept responsibility," said his attorney, Philip Masorti, according to the Centre Daily Times. "We know the evidence they have against us."

More serious charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault originally filed by Centre County Prosecutor Stacy Parks Miller against some of the Penn State fraternity brothers, including Burke, were dropped by a Centre County judge.

The case has since been taken over by Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who says his office is committed to "holding responsible individuals accountable for their actions, consistent with the law and the evidence in this case."

A grand jury report released in the months following Piazza's death revealed disturbing details into the hours before and after his fall, including that fellow brothers slapped him, poured water on him, and stepped over his limp body.

Video evidence from the scene showed Piazza being served 18 drinks in 82 minutes at various drinking stations before taking a fatal fall down the basement stairs, prosecutors said.

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Image via Timothy Piazza Memorial Foundation