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Video plays key role in fraternity house fatality hearing

BELLEFONTE — Security camera footage from the night a pledge suffered fatal injuries inside a Penn State fraternity house is again key evidence as prosecutors seek to convince a judge they have enough evidence to send charges to county court for trial.

State College Police Detective David Scicchitano remained on the stand Tuesday when the first day of a preliminary hearing ended in the case of former members of Beta Theta Pi.

The seven fraternity members are going through another hearing because a county judge reinstated criminal charges that a district judge had dismissed.

The charges relate to the February 2017 death of 19-year-old Tim Piazza, of Lebanon, N.J.

Piazza died of severe head and abdominal injuries after a bid acceptance ceremony. Authorities say he consumed a dangerous amount of alcohol.

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