A FRATERNITY AT PENN STATE IS FACING CRIMINAL
CHARGES AFTER A HAZING RITUAL LED TO THE DEATH OF A SOPHOMORE
AT THE UNIVERSITY.
TIM PIAZZA WAS THE STUDENT WHO LOST HIS
LIFE DURING THE HAZING INCIDENT.
NOW THAT WE HAVE MORE DETAILS
COMING UP DURING THE COURT PROCEEDINGS THE KIND OF GET A
SENSE OF WHAT THIS FRAT NOT ONLY DEAD BUT HOW THEY REACTED WHEN
IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT PIAZZA WAS IN A LOT OF DANGER.
THIS ALL
STARTED IN FEBRUARY.
THEY GET TOGETHER FOR SOMETHING THEY
REFERRED TO AS THE GAUNTLET.
IT WAS THE FINAL HAZING BEFORE THE
PLEDGES WOULD BE PLEDGED INTO THE FRATERNITY.
SO OBVIOUSLY
THAT IS AN UNSAFE THING TO DO, BUT BINGE DRINKING IS SOMETHING
THAT IS COMMON AMONG FRATS.
IN THIS CASE, AND NOT ONLY ENDED
BADLY THEY REFUSED TO GET HIM ANY TYPE OF MEDICAL HELP WHEN IT
WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS, HE HAD FALLEN DOWN
A FLIGHT OF STAIRS ñ
THEY STILL DIDN'T CALL AN AMBULANCE OR AUTHORITIES.
THE SITUATION JUST GOT WORSE AFTER IT WAS OBVIOUS HE WAS
IN TROUBLE.
>> I WENT TO COLLEGE AND HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT ARE IN
FRATS.
I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THE HAZING.
I THINK IT IS RIDICULOUS
TO HUMILIATE SOMEONE AND GET A BIG RISE OUT OF SOMEONE.
I THINK
IT IS DUMB.
I STILL LOVE THE GUYS WHO ARE IN FRATS SO I'M NOT
TRYING TO HATE ON YOU.
LOOK, WE'VE ALL DONE OUR SHARE OF
BINGE DRINKING AND IN STUPID THINGS WHEN WE DRINK, BUT THIS
STORY IS SO DISTURBING BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WERE SO
MONSTROUS, AND THE FACT THAT THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT
AND TREATED IT AS NORMAL LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE
TYPE OF STUFF THAT HAPPENS SO FREQUENTLY THAT THEY THINK THIS
IS NO BIG DEAL.
NOW WE FIND OUT THE DETAILS.
>>THE DETAILS ARE EXTREMELY DISTURBING AND BASED ON SECURITY
FOOTAGE THAT THE COURT WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN.
HE HAD FALLEN DOWN A
FLIGHT OF STAIRS, HE WAS EXTREMELY DRUNK.
LATER REPORTS
INDICATED THAT HIS ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS FIVE TIMES MORE THAN THE
LEGAL LIMIT.
>> LET ME POINT OUT SOMETHING, HAVE GUYS PASSOUT FROM DRINKING
TOO MUCH?
1 BILLION TIMES.
THEY DON'T BRING HIM TO THE HOSPITAL
AT THAT POINT, OKAY WE UNDERSTAND.
NORMAL
CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT IS A LITTLE CONCERNING.
BUT HE HAD ALREADY
FALLEN DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS.
YOU DON'T EXPECT SOMEONE IS
GOING TO DIE FROM
TRIPPING DOWN THE STAIRS FROM BEING
DRUNK, BUT THEN HE HAS A BIG BRUISE ON HIS HEAD.
BUT WE ARE ONLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY.
>>LET ME GIVE YOU MORE.
>>
IF YOU FEEL HE MIGHT LAPSE INTO A COMA BRING THEM TO A HOSPITAL.
>> THIS IS ALL HAPPENING, THEY ARE TRYING TO WAKE HIM UP AND
PREVENT HIM FROM FALLING INTO A COMA AND SIMULTANEOUSLY THERE
WAS ANOTHER PERSON WHO WAS FALLING DOWNSTAIRS.
LUCKILY NO
ONE ELSE DIED AS A RESULT.
IT IS CRAZY BECAUSE THEY ARE DEBATING
WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
THEY
FINALLY DECIDE NO, MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HANDLE
THIS ON OUR OWN.
>> IF YOU ARE EVER SLAPPING SOMEONE IN THE FACE IN THE HOPES
THAT THEY DON'T FALL INTO A COMA, THAT IS WHEN YOU CALL 911.
JUST A PRO TIP FOR ANYONE OUT THERE HANDLING A PERSON THAT IS
INCREDIBLY DRUNK AND HAS A GIANT BRUISE ON THEIR HEAD FROM
FALLING DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS.
IS NOT COMPLICATED, IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT A COMA, THAT
IS WHAT HOSPITALS ARE FOR.
>>THE HAZING BEGAN AT 9 PM.
THEY DO THIS SO OFTEN WITH OTHER
PLEDGES THEY HAVE ALREADY COINED A TERM FOR IT, THEY CALL IT
BACKPACKING.
IF YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT OFTEN, THERE
IS A PROBLEM HERE.
INSTEAD OF TAKING THEM TO THE DOCTOR OR CALLING AN
AMBULANCE AND ENSURING THAT THIS PERSON IS NOT GOING TO DIE
FROM DRINKING TOO MUCH, YOU DECIDE TO PUT A HEAVY
BACKPACK ON THEM SO THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO ROLL OVER.
>> PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME, MY SON IS THINKING OF JOINING A FRAT
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I AM NEUTRAL, IF THAT IS YOUR THING THEN DO
IT.
PEOPLE WHO DO IT LOVE IT.
THEY BECOME PART OF A GROUP,
THEY HAVE SILLY HANDSHAKES, ALL THIS NONSENSE.
IT IS NOT FOR ME,
BUT IF IT IS FOR YOU, GREAT.
NOW MY ADVICE WOULD SAY NO WAY.
IF
THEY HAVE A THING CALLED BACKPACKING, THAT MEANS PEOPLE
DRINK TO EXCESS SO OFTEN THERE ñ YOU ARE ROLLING DICE THERE.
I'M
NOT SENDING MY SON OR ANYONE I CARE ABOUT TO A SITUATION WHERE
THEY MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT DIE FROM ALCOHOL POISONING, LET ALONE
FALLING DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS.
THEY HAVE A THING WHERE WE DON'T
WANT YOU TO CHOKE ON YOUR OWN VOMIT BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALL THE
TIME, SO WE INVENTED SOMETHING CALLED BACKPACKING.
>> I OBVIOUSLY DID NOT KNOW HIM AT ALL, AND READING THESE
DETAILS WAS SO INCREDIBLY DISTURBING I CAN'T IMAGINE
WHAT HIS FAMILY IS GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
>>I THOUGHT ABOUT HIS FAMILY, JESUS.
>>IT BRINGS ME TO TEARS.
IT GETS WORSE.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SEEM AS
THOUGH EVERY MEMBER OF THIS FRAT WAS FIGHTING AGAINST CALLING AN
AMBULANCE.
THERE WAS ONE FRAT BROTHER THAT DEMANDED THEM TO
CALL 911.
SINCE HE WAS A NEWER MEMBER THEY IMMEDIATELY SHOT HIM
DOWN AND TOLD HIM KNOW YOUR ROLE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO
DO THAT.
>> THESE GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FRATERNITIES OF BROTHERS.
I HAD
A FRAT GUY FROM MY COLLEGE THAT SAID IF MY BROTHER AT THE FRONT
TOLD ME TO SHOOT MY MOM I WOULD.
GREAT, I'M GLAD THEY DID THAT
KIND OF BRAINWASHING ON YOU.
IS HE REALLY YOUR BROTHER IF YOU
SAY WE MIGHT GET IN TROUBLE SO I WOULD RATHER ENDANGER HIS
WELL-BEING AND MAYBE EVEN HAS LIFE BEEN FOR ME TO GET IN A
LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE?
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE YOUR BROTHER,
DOES IT?
AND YES, THIS KID DID THE RIGHT THING.
ANOTHER
FRATERNITY MEMBER SLAMMED HIM AGAINST THE WALL AND PREVENTED
HIM FROM CALLING THE COPS.
18 MEMBERS OF THE FRAT HAVE BEEN CHARGED, 18.
THERE WAS ONE GUY WHO DID THE RIGHT THING AND MANY OTHERS
WHO DIDN'T.
>> BY THE WAY, HE FELL SEVERAL TIMES DURING THIS ENTIRE
EPISODE.
>> AT THE BEGINNING BEFORE
THE FIRST FAULT SOMEONE RECORDS IT
ON SNAPCHAT.
IN THE MORNING ñ THIS IS ALL ON SECURITY FOOTAGE
SO IT IS NOT IN DISPUTE ñ TWO FRAT MEMBERS STEP OVER HIS BODY.
ONE LAST AND DECIDES TO RECORD HIM BECAUSE THIS IS AGAIN REALLY
FUNNY.
REMEMBER HE HAS THE BIG BRUISE ON HIS HEAD ALREADY LET
ALONE EVERYTHING ELSE.
HE DIED FROM HIS SPLEEN ñ RUPTURED
SPLEEN.
REMEMBER THEY SLAMMED HIS ABDOMEN IN AN EFFORT TO "
HELP HIM."
HE ALSO DIED FROM INTERNAL BLEEDING.
HE COULD'VE
BEEN SAVED 1000 TIMES THAT NIGHT.
IF YOU ARE HIS FAMILY,
HOW IS THAT NOT THE MOST HEARTBREAKING THING YOU HAVE
EVER SEEN IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE?
IF YOU ARE SO-CALLED BROTHERS,
GET HIM SOME HELP.
IS ANYONE GOING TO STEP UP AND HELP HIM?
IF THEY HAD DONE IT AFTER THE FIRST FALL HE WOULD'VE LIVED.
WE
DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE, MAYBE THE SPLEEN WAS ALREADY ñ BUT
REMEMBER HE MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE NEXT MORNING.
AFTER THE
FIRST FALL, THE FOURTH FALL, SOMEBODY GET HIM HELP.
>> I USUALLY SHY AWAY FROM ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICIES AND
DRACONIAN EFFORTS TO STOP THINGS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO
HAZING I JUST DON'T SEE ANY BENEFIT.
I SEE IT AS A WAY OF
HUMILIATION, DEHUMANIZATION, PUTTING THEIR LIVES IN JEOPARDY.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FRATS
WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD EVEN BUY INTO, FINE.
BUT AT THE
SAME TIME I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HAZING IN THIS MODERN ERA
CONTINUES TO HAPPEN.
>> THE WHOLE POINT OF HAZING IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL TRICK, TO BREAK
YOU DOWN SO IT ROBS YOU OF YOUR INDIVIDUALISM AND YOU JOIN A
COMMUNITY.
AND THEN YOU BECOME
PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.
THE
REASON THE MILITARY DOES IT IS SO YOU BECOME MORE BONDED.
BY
THE WAY RELIGIONS DO IT AND THE MILITARY DOES IT.
DO YOU REALLY
WANT TO BREAK DOWN YOUR INDIVIDUALISM AND WHO YOU ARE?
I
DON'T WANT ANY PART IN THAT.
IF THE MILITARY DOES IT SO YOU CAN
KILL BETTER, I DON'T WANT IT.
I SURE DON'T WANT IT IN THIS
CONTEXT.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HIS BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS?
.40,
THAT IS FIVE TIMES OF THE LEGAL LIMIT.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE GOING THROUGH THIS.
THIS IS NUTS.
>> WHAT HELPS ME BOND WITH PEOPLE IS KINDNESS IN HELPING
PEOPLE OUT.
THIS IS SO DEVASTATING AND I FEEL SO BAD
FOR HIS FAMILY.
I HOPE JUSTICE IS SERVED HERE BUT WE NEED TO
ACTUALLY LEARN LESSONS FROM STORIES LIKE THIS, NOT REPORT ON
THEM AND THERE IS NO ACTION LATER.
IT IS ABOUT FRATERNITIES IN GENERAL AND HOW THERE NEEDS
TO BE POLICIES BANNING ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE TO THIS.
>> IT'S NOT TO SAY EVERY SINGLE FRATERNITY DOES THIS, BUT DO A
LOT OF THEM DO?
YES.
EXCUSE ME GUYS, I'M SORRY I AM SICK.
>>NOT ALL FRATERNITIES?
-
>> UNTIL FRATS STOP HAZING I WILL SAY DON'T LET ANYONE LET
YOUR KIDS JOIN A FRAT THAT DOES HAZING.
I DON'T WANT TO RISK A
.40 BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL, THAT IS RISKY.
I WANT MY KIDS TO RISK
ANY OF THAT.
I DON'T WANT THEIR PERSONALITY BROKEN DOWN AND JOIN
SOME SORT OF BROTHERHOOD THAT DOESN'T GIVE A RATS ASS ABOUT
THEM.
AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY TYPE OF RISK LIKE
THIS.
IT IS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF RISK, AND MY ANSWER TO THAT IS
HELL NO.