Will Penn State Frat Brothers Go To Trial For Hazing Death? A Decision Is Expected Friday

A judge is expected to rule at 11 a.m. Friday on whether 16 Penn State fraternity brothers will go to trial on charges connected to a pledge's death at the Beta Theta Pi house earlier this year.

A total of 18 Beta Theta Pi fraternity brothers were charged in connection with Timothy Piazza's death in February; two waived their preliminary hearing. Eight fraternity brothers are facing manslaughter charges. Others are charged with aggravated assault, tampering with evidence and related charges. (See who's charged.)

Piazza, a sophomore from New Jersey, took a fatal fall after becoming heavily intoxicated at the party on Feb. 2. No one called for help until late the next morning, and Piazza died Feb. 4.

The preliminary hearing began in June and was continued three times.

Here is the timeline of the case:

FEBRUARY

Feb. 2:

Timothy Piazza attended a bid acceptance night party at the Beta Theta Pi. Piazza. He and the 13 other pledges participated in a ritual called "the gauntlet" — a series of drinking stations designed to make pledges consume alcohol rapidly, authorities said. After the gauntlet, Piazza, in an extremely intoxicated state, took several dangerous spills, including a fall down an entire flight of stairs. He become unconscious.

Feb. 3

Piazza remained unconscious into the wee hours of the night and into the morning. At times he vomited and moaned. Numerous fraternity brothers attempted to wake him up by shaking, slapping, and pouring water on him, according to videotape from the scene. (A full description of what was viewed on the surveillance footage can be found here.) An ambulance is summoned at 10:48 a.m., about 12 hours after his most serious fall. Piazza is taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center and later transported to Hershey Medical Center, where he goes immediately into surgery. Doctors said he had severe abdominal injuries and was in hemorrhagic shock.

Feb. 4

Piazza is declared dead in the surgical intensive care unit at 1:23 a.m.

Feb. 9

Beta Theta Pi fraternity is shut down; Penn State halts all fraternity social events.

MAY

May 5

Eighteen Penn State students are charged in connection with Piazza's death. Charges include involuntary manslaughter, hazing, tampering with evidence, aggravated assault, among others. Click here to see a who's who of the accused.

May 16

The family of a Penn State student charged with manslaughter in connection with the Piazza's issues a public statement, saying the charges are "inappropriate."

JUNE

June 12

Preliminary hearings for 16 of the Penn State frat brothers accused in the hazing death of student Piazza begin in the Centre County Courthouse. Two students waived their hearing.

The prosecution plays surveillance footage from the Beta Theta Pi fraternity party on the night of Piazza's fatal injury. Piazza's parents leave the courtroom, which falls silent as onlookers watch the young man in anguish during his final hours, alone, rolling on a floor.

June 13

Piazza's father says he was "highly offended"by the behavior displayed by the accused during their preliminary hearing the day before. The Piazza family's lawyer, Tom Kline, told the New York Times that the accused brothers treated the hearing as if it was a "fraternity reunion."

The hearing is continued to July 10 and 11.

JULY

July 10

The hearing resumes. Prosecution reads aloud in court a series of texts from fraternity brothers in the hours after Piazza's fall. The texts suggest that the brothers were well aware of Piazza’s condition and their responsibility and feared the potential legal ramifications.

July 11

The hearing is continued until August.

AUGUST

Aug. 10

A Beta Theta Pi member deleted footage from a basement camera two days after 19-year-old Timothy Piazza died in February, a State College Police detective testifies under oath.

The hearing is continued until late August.

Aug. 31

Defense attorneys make closing arguments. A judge is expected to rule Friday, Sept. 1, Philly.com reports.