State college detectives detailed in court documents a relentless night of forced drinking by pledges, the last hours of one of those students and the deletion of surveillance video that followed February death of Timothy Piazza after a fraternity hazing ritual in February.
In an affidavit of probable cause, State College Detective David Scicchitano described the investigation into the surveillance system in the now defunct Beta Theta Pi chapter house at Penn State.
In August Centre County District Judge Allen Sinclair threw out the most serious charges against fraternity members in the death, including aggravated assault, which is a felony, and involuntary manslaughter; he let stand lesser charges including hazing and furnishing alcohol to minors.