Crime & Safety
Penn State Students Charged In Frat House Death Appear In Court
Detective Dave Scicchitano testified that Timothy Piazza "looked like a corpse" the morning after the fall, according to reports.
BELLEFONTE, PA — Hearings for the Penn State frat brothers accused in the hazing death of student Timothy Piazza are underway. The hearings began at 8:30 a.m. Monday in the Centre County Courthouse.
The 18 Penn State students were charged in May after a three-month-long grand jury investigation, which utilized surveillance footage from the fraternity house on Feb. 2 and 3. That surveillance footage is being played in court Monday, according to reports.
Eight fraternity brothers are facing manslaughter charges in connection with the 19-year-old's death in February. Authorities say Piazza was forced to drink excessively before falling and hurting himself. No one called for help until late the next morning, and the New Jersey native died Feb. 4.
Find out what's happening in New Hope-Lambertvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
RELATED: 'The Courtroom Is Silent': Reactions As Video Of Fatal Penn State Frat Party Is Played
Ten other students are facing related charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and providing alcohol to minors, among other charges.
Find out what's happening in New Hope-Lambertvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Piazza’s parents, Jim and Evelyn, sat in the front row but left the courtroom before the surveillance footage aired. The footage has no sound but is being narrated by a detective, reports Susan Synder of the Inquirer via Twitter.
Synder, who is live Tweeting the footage as it airs in court, says it is "grueling to watch."
He stands again, stumbles, falls again, headfirst. Then he rises, walks into a railing and falls again. Grueling to watch.
— susan snyder (@ssnyderinq) June 12, 2017
Other reporters who are live Tweeting the footage had similar sentiments.
Not going to lie, this footage is pretty tough to watch. Tim Piazza repeatedly slams head into walls and floor @PennLive
— Christian (@crawriter) June 12, 2017
State College Detective Dave Scicchitano testified in court Monday that Piazza "looked like a corpse" the morning after the fall, the Inquirer report said.
Here are more reactions from the courtroom. (We will continue to update this post as more details become available.)
Detective now reading text messages that says Tim Piazza threw up while fraternity members attempted to keep him upright on the couch
— Christian (@crawriter) June 12, 2017
Couple of frat members have heads down, not watching video of Piazza visibly drunk and injured @PennLive
— Christian (@crawriter) June 12, 2017
Det. says fraternity member was "like a drill sergeant" yelling at Piazza to drink as he shotgunned a beer @PennLive
— Nora Shelly (@noracshelly) June 12, 2017
Tim Piazza arrives at beer shotgun station. He guzzles a beer, as frat member "like a drill sergeant yells at him to drink," detective says.
— susan snyder (@ssnyderinq) June 12, 2017
#pennstate frat pledges now on video chugging vodka at beginning of "the gauntlet" @PennLive
— Christian (@crawriter) June 12, 2017
Tim Piazza comes into view in jacket and tie and drinks from vodka bottle, then runs toward next drinking station.
— susan snyder (@ssnyderinq) June 12, 2017
Two lawyers have now objected and asked for court to not show the tape. DA Parks Miller refutes claims
— Nora Shelly (@noracshelly) June 12, 2017
Tim Piazza's parents leave courtroom before video is shown
— Nora Shelly (@noracshelly) June 12, 2017
After break, we are heading into a three-hour screening of clips from the Beta theta Pi video cams in Piazza death case.
— Charles Thompson (@ChasThompson1) June 12, 2017
PennLive.com had a live feed on Facebook of the students' arrival to the courthouse:
RELATED:
- Penn State Frat House Death: Fast Drinking, Slow Death, Frantic Coverup In Grand Jury Timeline
- Frat House Death At Penn State: A Who's Who Of The Accused
PHOTO: The Beta Theta Pi fraternity house, 220 N. Burrowes St., State College, PA (Google Earth)
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