New judge starts Penn State frat pledge’s fall death hearing
FILE PHOTO: Lars Kenyon, center, arrives for his preliminary hearing on charges related to the hazing death of Timothy Piazza at Penn State’s Beta Theta Pi fraternity at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Monday, June 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)
(Bellefonte) — A court hearing for 12 Penn State fraternity members related to the death of a pledge is underway with a replacement judge because the original jurist fell ill with the flu.
The proceeding will determine if there’s sufficient evidence to go forward with charges against members of the shuttered Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Lawyers indicated the hearing that began Wednesday could run another day or more. Only three of the defendants are in court.
Nineteen-year-old pledge Tim Piazza was fatally injured at the frat house last year. The FBI recovered security camera footage from a basement bar area showing more details about what occurred the night the Lebanon, New Jersey resident fell several times and consumed a significant amount of alcohol.
He was found unconscious the next morning.
An earlier story appears below.
(Bellefonte) — A judge’s illness is delaying a hearing in Centre County for members of a Penn State fraternity charged after the FBI recovered security camera footage from a basement bar area the night a pledge was fatally injured.
Twelve members of the shuttered Beta Theta Pi chapter face the preliminary hearing to determine if there’s enough evidence to send the charges to county court for trial.
Officials say a substitute judge may take over and preside later in the day.
They face charges related to the February 2017 death of 19-year-old pledge Tim Piazza of Lebanon, New Jersey, who fell several times and consumed a significant amount of alcohol at the house.
The hearing follows prosecutors’ announcement they’re dropping the most serious allegations of involuntary manslaughter and assault against five defendants.
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