New Jersey

Hearing Set in Penn State Fraternity Death Case

Tim Piazza died after a night of heavy drinking at Penn State's Beta Theta Pi fraternity house in February 2017.

What to Know

  • Former members of the the shuttered Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State University will be court Tuesday.
  • More than 20 members of the now-closed fraternity face criminal charges over the February 2017 death of Timothy Piazza.
  • The preliminary hearing could last for several days.

Former members of a Penn State fraternity are due in court for a preliminary hearing on charges related to the February 2017 death of a pledge after a night of hazing and drinking.

The hearing Tuesday before a district judge will determine if there's enough evidence to send charges against several of the defendants in the case to county court for trial. It could last several days.

It'll be the third preliminary hearing for the defendants and the fourth overall involving the death of 19-year-old Tim Piazza, of Lebanon, New Jersey.

Piazza died of severe head and abdominal injuries after a bid acceptance ceremony at the Beta Theta Pi house. Authorities say he consumed a dangerous amount of alcohol.

A video security system recorded much of what occurred that night.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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