Former Penn State fraternity president Brendan Young and vice president Daniel Casey were sentenced to two to four months in jail, followed by three years of probation and community service, for their involvement in a hazing event that led to the death of 19-year-old Timothy Piazza in 2017. Piazza died after consuming large amounts of alcohol during a fraternity initiation ritual.
Young and Casey pleaded guilty to hazing and reckless endangerment charges, with prosecutors stating they participated in and facilitated the hazing event. The incident sparked outrage over fraternity culture and led to school policy reforms and a national anti-hazing campaign supported by Piazza’s family.
Piazza’s death prompted Penn State to make policy changes for sororities and fraternities, including a permanent ban on the Beta Theta Pi fraternity chapter. The Piazza family was instrumental in passing the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania, which imposes stricter penalties for hazing incidents.
The defendants’ sentences could have been harsher under the new law, and they are eligible for work release. Piazza continues to be remembered through the Timothy J. Piazza Memorial Foundation and the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform at Penn State. The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of hazing rituals on college campuses and the importance of holding those responsible accountable.
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