Another 12 students charged in Penn State hazing death
BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- Another 12 students have been charged in the hazing death of Penn State fraternity pledge Timothy Piazza.
In addition, five of the 14 students previously charged are facing more counts. Their names are listed at the end of this article.
Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said during a news conference on Monday that investigators recovered new video from the basement of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house.
The D.A. said that video was deleted while police were at the house, but was recovered by the FBI.
That footage is in addition to security camera video that had been previously recovered by authorities from the extensive surveillance system in the house.
The 19-year-old Piazza, from Lebanon, New Jersey, was fatally injured back in February. Piazza died of a fractured skull and other injuries two days after drinking a dangerous amount of alcohol at a pledge ceremony and falling down basement stairs.
Investigators say the video shows Piazza does not obtain his own alcohol at any point. In fact, authorities say, every drink consumed was provided to him by a fraternity brother.
Tim Piazza was furnished with at least 18 drinks in 1 hour and 22 minutes, Parks Miller's office said.
The fraternity has since been closed.
The following 12 students were charged by authorities after review of the basement video:
1. Joshua Kurczewski
Involuntary Manslaughter
Aggravated Assault
Simple Assault
Reckless Endangering Another Person
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
2. Ryan Burke
Involuntary Manslaughter
Aggravated Assault
Simple Assault
Reckless Endangering Another Person
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
3. Jonathan Kanzler
Involuntary Manslaughter
Aggravated Assault
Simple Assault
Reckless Endangering Another Person
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor (1 count)
4. Bohan Song
Involuntary Manslaughter
Aggravated Assault
Simple Assault
Reckless Endangering Another Person
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor (1 count)
5. Aiden O'Brien
Involuntary Manslaughter
Aggravated Assault
Simple Assault
Reckless Endangering Another Person
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor (1 count)
6. Joseph Ems
Hazing, 23 P.S. 5353 (1 count)
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors, 18 Pa.C.S. 6310.1 (1 count)
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor, 47 P.S. 4-493 (1 count)
7. Brian Gelb
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
8. Patrick Jackson
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
9. Reggie Goeke
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
10. Mike Fernandez
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
11. Donald Prior
Hazing
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
12. Braxton Becker
Tampering with Evidence (1 count)
Obstructing Administration of Law (1 count)
Hindering Apprehension (1 count)
In addition to these newly charged defendants, the following previously charged Beta brothers now face additional criminal charges based on their actions on basement video:
1. Luke Visser
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
2. Gary Dibilio
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
3. Nick Kubera
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
4. Michael Bonatucci
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
5. Parker Yochim
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor
Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
