Pennsylvania District Attorney Josh Shapiro held a press conference Tuesday morning to discuss his office’s independent review of the Beta Theta Pi case surrounding Tim Piazza’s death and how he and his colleagues will move forward with pursuing charges in the case.

“Tim Piazza’s death was a terrible tragedy,” Shapiro said. “When a parent sends their child off to get an education, you can be a little bit sad that you’re leaving your loved one, but you shouldn’t have to suffer the horror that the Piazzas suffered.”

Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna asked Shapiro’s office to take over prosecution of the case shortly after he was elected in November due to a reported conflict of interest, and the Office of the Attorney General accepted in January.

After a four-month independent review of the case, the Attorney General’s Office has developed its own legal theory that differs from former DA Stacy Parks Miller’s. Parks Miller filed the charges against the 26 defendants in the case before she was replaced by Cantorna, focusing heavily on the alcohol present during the night leading to Piazza’s death.

“I directed [my office] to conduct a comprehensive review of all the facts and evidence surrounding the death of Tim Piazza,” Shapiro said.

“We think the alcohol was an important piece of this, but it wasn’t the only piece. That is not to say that the prior DA did something wrong or did something inappropriate — certainly not.”

The Attorney General’s theory focuses on the following three elements:

1. Defendants who planned and participated in the “gauntlet” and other alcohol hazing activities
2. Were aware that Tim Piazza suffered a fall
3. Failed to render aid

The five defendants to whom all three prongs apply are those the Attorney General will continue to pursue involuntary manslaughter charges against. The office has appealed these and other reckless endangerment charges that were dismissed in March for the second time, after previously having been dismissed in September 2017 by and refiled in October 2017.

“That local district magistrate should not have the final say. We firmly believe that justice for Tim Piazza demands that a jury hear this evidence and decide whether or not these individuals should be held accountable for involuntary manslaughter…”

Judge Pamela Ruest, the President Judge in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas, will consider the appeal of these charges. If Ruest does not accept the appeal, the Attorney General’s Office will consider other options like appealing to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

“I believe that we proved the elements necessary to satisfy that first round, if you will, and get this case to a jury,” Shapiro said. “I think it is very clear, and I think ultimately that will show through this appeal process.”

The Office of the Attorney General will not pursue any aggravated assault charges in the case, as Shapiro said, “Simply, the elements of the crime were not met.” Notably, the Office of the Attorney General will pursue charges against the same 26 defendants charged by Parks Miller.

Shapiro declined to comment on the role of Tim Bream, the now-former Penn State employee who was at the Beta Theta Pi house the night leading up to Tim Piazza’s death.

In closing, he encouraged the passage of the “Tim’s Law” anti-hazing legislation currently going through Pennsylvania’s state legislature, which was introduced in March by PA Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman.

Preliminary hearings begin Wednesday, May 2 for charges originally filed in November against 12 former brothers of the fraternity who were implicated by evidence on the recovered surveillance footage from the fraternity house basement. These defendants are not facing any aggravated assault, simple assault, or involuntary manslaughter charges.

“I’m confident that once this case makes it to a jury, we will obtain justice for the Piazza family,” Shapiro said.

Watch the full press conference below: