Former leaders of a Penn State fraternity will serve time in prison for their involvement in a hazing murder

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — The former president and vice president of a Penn State fraternity whose pledge was made by Timothy Piazza and who later died after consuming large amounts of alcohol was sentenced to prison Tuesday.

Brendan Young, 28, who was president of the now-defunct Beta Theta Pi chapter in 2017, and Daniel Casey, 27, who was vice president and pledge master, were sentenced in Center County Court to two to four months in prison, followed by three years of probation and community service. Everyone is entitled to a work permit.

Young and Casey both pleaded guilty in July to 14 counts of harassment and one count of reckless endangerment, all misdemeanors. They were the last two defendants to be convicted in a case that prompted Pennsylvania lawmakers to crack down on hazing.

They were ordered to report to the Center County Correctional Facility on Monday.

“Our thoughts are with the Piazza family and everyone affected by this tragedy,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement. “Nothing can undo the damage Tim suffered seven years ago – nothing can bring Tim back to his family and friends.”

Messages seeking comment were left with Young's defense attorney Julian Allatt and Casey's attorney Steven Trialonis.

Piazza, a 19-year-old engineering student from Lebanon, New Jersey, and 13 other pledges were planning to join the fraternity the night Piazza consumed at least 18 drinks in less than two hours. Security camera footage documented Piazza's agonizing final hours, including a fall down the basement stairs that left others having to carry him upstairs. As he spent the night on a couch on the first floor, he showed signs of severe pain.

It was hours before help was called. Piazza suffered serious head and abdominal injuries and died in hospital.

At one point, various charges were brought against more than two dozen members of the fraternity. More than a dozen pleaded guilty to harassment and alcohol-related offenses, while a smaller number entered a diversion program for nonviolent first-time offenders.

Prosecutors failed to get judges to approve more serious charges, including involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault.

Penn State banned the fraternity. Pennsylvania state lawmakers have passed a law making the most serious forms of hazing a felony. It requires schools to follow anti-hazing policies and allows for the confiscation of dormitories where hazing has occurred.

Had this law been in effect at the time of Piazza's death, the defendants would have faced harsher penalties, according to the attorney general's office.