Probe into deadly fall at Penn State frat to be released

Those responsible for the death of a Penn State University fraternity pledge "deserve to be punished", the attorney for the family of the student, Timothy Piazza, told CNN. Now, members of the former fraternity face multiple charges, including providing alcohol to a minor and manslaughter.

Prosecutors released dozens of pages of evidence on Friday, detailing charges against the fraternity and its brothers that included involuntary manslaughter, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to minors.

The pledges consumed large amounts of alcohol as part of their initiation, prosecutors said, and were required to run "a gauntlet", going from station to station and drinking a different alcoholic beverage at each one.

Prosecutors say Piazza fell down a long set of steps on February 2, and fell several other times, injuring his head. And when they finally did call for help they did not tell anyone that he had fallen. A forensic pathologist calculated that Piazza had a life-threatening blood alcohol level content on the night he was hurt.

The school has permanently banned the fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, after looking into events around the death of Piazza, a 19-year-old engineering student from Lebanon, New Jersey.

In a statement Friday, the university's Inter-fraternity Council pledged it was committed to reforms that would prevent similar deaths in the future.

Miller said video footage turned over to investigators provided evidence of what occurred and contradicted stories some witnesses had told.

Authorities said help wasn't called for 12 hours, and Piazza died two day after the fall.

This led the teenager hunched over, to a couch and later trying unsuccessfully to open the front door, then "severely staggering" in the direction of the basement steps.

Detectives said four of the brothers carried him upstairs.

If need be, just tell them what I told you guys, found him behind a bar the next morning at around 10 a.m., and he was freezing-cold, but we chose to call 911 instantly, because the kid's health was paramount.

The three-month long investigation found that Timothy Piazza attended a bid acceptance party on February 2nd.

A little after 3:30 a.m. video footage shows Piazza attempting to stand and moving around the house, falling and striking his head multiple times. At 5am, he fell, hit his head on an iron railing and landed on a stone floor.

"Timothy was lying on his back with his arms clenched tight at his sides and his hands in the air", jurors wrote.

His chest was bare, he was breathing heavily, and he had blood on his face, according to the presentment.

In the early hours after the initial fall, brothers poured liquid on Piazza's face and slapped him in attempts to rouse him. Bail was set at $100,000 for all but they were released on their own recognizance.

"All indicators suggested Beta Theta Phi was a model fraternity - the house, privately-owned and situated like all other fraternity houses on private property, was handsome, the subject of a multi-million dollar renovation; both the Beta alumni and the national organization provided strict rules of behavior; and, the brothers had a no alcohol policy which stated that anyone caught drinking would be expelled", Barron said. "I just know that these kids' lives are ruined forever and like I'm not sure if everyone in the frat is involved", said Susan McGrory, a Penn State sophomore from Westchester.