By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
The FBI’s discovery of deleted surveillance video from the basement of a Penn State University frat house has prompted a slew of new charges tied to the hazing death of 19-year-old Timothy Piazza.
Prosecutors on Monday charged 12 more members of the now-defunct Beta Theta Pi fraternity, including Braxton Becker, 20, who is accused of deleting the video recovered by the FBI, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
According to the new footage, Piazza was a fraternity pledge in February when he consumed 18 alcoholic drinks in one hour and 22 minutes.
Five fraternity members – Ryan Liam Burke, 21, Aidan O’Brien, 20, Jonathan Kanzler, 19, Joshua Kurczewski, 19, and Bo Han Song, 19, were charged with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter. They’ve also been charged with misdemeanor counts of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, hazing and furnishing liquor to a minor.
Others charged with misdemeanor hazing and furnishing alcohol to minors include oseph Ems, Brian Gelb, Patrick Jackson, Reggie Goeke, Donald Prior and Mike Fernandez.
Braxton Becker, whose previous charge was dismissed, now faces a misdemeanor counts tampering with evidence, obstructing administration of law and hindering apprehension.
Fraternity members told State College police Detective David Scicchitano that the surveillance camera in the basement wasn’t working. But the FBI was able to recover the deleted footage.
