NBC

Father of Dead Penn State Pledge: Some Frat Members ‘Laughed' After Court Hearing

The father of a Penn State University student who died after a bad fall at an alcohol-fueled fraternity event told NBC News that his family was "highly offended" by behavior from frat members facing charges in the boy's death and an insensitive remark by a lawyer in the case.

Jim Piazza, the father of the late Timothy Piazza, alleged that some of the young men accused of not giving proper aid to his dying son "laughed" and "patted each other on the back" after a preliminary court hearing on Monday.

"Following the hearing, most, but not all, of the fraternity brothers and their families got together, laughed, patted each other on the back and hugged as if this was just another fraternity get-together," Piazza told NBC News in an email.

Timothy Piazza, 19, died in a hospital two days after a pledge event at the Beta Theta Pi frat house on Feb. 2.

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