Timothy Piazza’s death remains under investigation. Per new information released by authorities, it was found out that security guards visited the frat house where he died and the fraternity members promised the supposedly new member a boozy initiation.
NJ.com reported that the security guards that visited the frat house were from Pennsylvania State University’s Interfraternity Council. The guards were in the frat house before Piazza first fell down the basement. These guards are known as social checkers and they visit social functions of fraternities to ensure that the members stick with the rules.
The fraternity involved, Beta Theta Pi, was not allowed to serve alcohol. However, during the night of the initiation, the new members went through a lot of initiation rites that involved booze. Per examination, Piazza had a near fatal amount of alcohol in his system the moment he fell down the basement stairs.
Detective David Scicchitano talks about the guards
During the hearing on the case on Monday, Detective Davis Scicchitano said that per surveillance video, two security guards were seen inside the house. This was at around 11:10 p.m., a few minutes before Piazza fell down the basement. It is also believed that the two security guards went down the basement during the time Piazza fell down.
It is unclear what the security guards did when they saw that there was booze being served since Beta Theta Pi should have been a dry house.
Attorney Frank Fina raises other questions during hearing
The hearing on the case of Piazza first started in June. Eighteen of the fraternity’s members were charged related to the death of the freshman.
Another issue that attorney Frank Fina pointed out is the fact that the Nittany Lions head athletic trainer and assistant athletic director Tim Bream, who also served as the advisor of the fraternity, lived in their fraternity house. Bream is believed to have told the fraternity members to delete the messages on their GroupMe messaging app that might lead to their incrimination.
Two fraternity members, Edward Gilmartin and Lars Kenyon, said in a text message that Bream ordered the deleting of messages as a form of a precaution. Bream has not been charged.
Aside from the issue regarding the messages being deleted, Fina talked about the possibility that the pledges either chose to consume a lot of alcohol or they were forced by the Beta Theta Pi members. One fraternity member sent a text message to his girlfriend saying he did not want to go to jail because he participated in making the pledges undergo “drink hazing.” Another said they will be “done with making people drink.”
New York Daily News also reported that per the text message sent to Piazza and the other pledges, it said that they should get ready to get “f***ed up” as they welcome them to the first of their many nights with the fraternity.
Other details about the case
Per the surveillance video, it recorded what took place from when the party started until the fraternity members called 911. Piazza was seen falling down the basement twice and the fraternity members changing his clothes into cleaner ones in an attempt to make him look healthier than he actually is.
Piazza tried to leave the fraternity home but failed every time due to the amount of alcohol he consumed. The fraternity members called for medical assistance only 12 hours after his first fall even after they saw him suffering from seizures and throwing up. He died from severe ethanol inebriation and multiple traumatic injuries.
Piazza’s father frustrated
According to My Central Jersey, the father of Piazza, Jim, is frustrated over the fact that those charged have shown little to no remorse.
Tim said that these fraternity members showed no remorse through their lawyers since the defense teams continue to present reasons and arguments as to why their clients should not be convicted in the pledge’s death.
Jim added that the death of their son was not an accident as the evidence showed that those involved carefully carried out a calculated plan in an attempt to save themselves from going to jail even if they already knew what they were doing was wrong. He noted that the exchange of messages among the members were already proof enough to know that they were aware what they might face so they contemplated whether or not to call medical assistance.
