Involuntary manslaughter charges dropped in Penn State frat cas

[Calista241]

Source: ABC News

Involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault charges have been dropped against eight former Penn State University fraternity members in connection with the death of a pledge at the fraternity house earlier this year, a Pennsylvania judge announced today.

But Centre County District Judge Allen Sinclair said today the cases against those students and four others will head to trial for less serious alleged offenses: reckless endangerment, alcohol-related charges and hazing.

Sinclair also today dismissed charges completely against four former fraternity members who were facing single counts of either tampering with evidence or recklessly endangering another person.

....

The charges, initially against 18 students, stemmed from the death of Timothy Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore and pledge at Beta Theta Pi, who died Feb. 4 after he fell down the stairs during a night of drinking for a pledge ceremony at the house on the night of Feb. 2.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/involuntary-manslaughter-charges-dropped-penn-state-fraternity-hazing/story?id=49543863

[GeorgeGist]

1. White privilege strikes again!

[BigmanPigman]

2. I felt badly for the victim's family. This ruling is BS!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. I'm so sorry to see this. This case is horrifying.

[radicalliberal]

4. Maybe the judge is a frat rat himself. n/t

[politicat]

5. Oh, gods. That's not even...

From the security camera video and testimony, Involuntary Manslaughter was light. I saw what their law calls depraved-heart murder -- behavior so callous and indifferent to the welfare of another that it causes death.

That young man's poor family.

And goddammit, PennState: how messed up does a community culture have to be to realize it's got a problem?

[left-of-center2012]

6. The deceased parents should file a civil case

Remember,
O.J. won in court but lost the civil suit for millions.