BELLEFONTE — Former Beta Theta Pi fraternity brother Joseph Ems Jr. was sentenced to 12 months probation, $1,500 in fines and 100 hours of community service on Thursday morning for charges surrounding the events of Timothy Piazza’s hazing death.

He is the second former member of the now-banned fraternity to be sentenced in the case under Magisterial District Judge Brian Marshall.

"I carry regret on my shoulders," Ems said in a prepared statement. "Unfortunately, I can't change the past and this is a burden I'll bear the rest of my life."

Piazza died on Feb. 4, 2017, after falling headfirst down a flight of stairs at the Beta Theta Pi house. Piazza consumed at least 18 drinks in 82 minutes as part of a hazing ritual called “the Gauntlet.”

Still, Ems was sentenced in the Centre County Courthouse Annex for his actions toward pledge Thaddeus Lorenz — not Piazza.

In his statement before the court, Ems called himself a “young boy who made a dumb decision.” He apologized to the Piazza family and said his views on alcohol have changed significantly since the incident.

Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Zarallo argued that Ems had “anger management issues” and “took great pleasure” in the hazing rituals. Zarallo referenced messages that Ems sent to other fraternity members about hazing.

In one message, Zarallo said Ems gleefully asked the fraternity pledgemaster Daniel Casey, “Any hazing events tonight?”

Zarallo also used footage from bid-acceptance night on Feb. 2, 2017 to paint a further narrative of Ems’ character.

“This is a small microscom into who Mr. Ems is,” Zarallo said.

The Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General pointed out several instances of “aggression” throughout the footage, including brothers holding Ems back from an altercation with member Nick Kubera, shoving Piazza when the pledge appeared intoxicated, and striking Piazza in the abdomen as he laid on the couch after his injuries.

Piazza would later die of a lacerated spleen, among other other injuries. The AG’s office assumes Ems did not know the extent of Piazza’s injuries at the time.

While the prosecution called this “outright aggression,” Jay Abom — the defense attorney for Ems — said this was “some of the things that college students do with friends.” Ems’ actions could be caused from his own intoxication, Abom told the judge.

Ems had his shirt open and was stumbling in footage, which Abom used to point out signs of intoxication.

“Mr. Ems has expressed his remorse,” Abom said. “He was 20 years old at the time and intoxicated — probably like everybody else that night."

Despite letters testifying to Ems’ character, Marshall acknowledged they were inconsistent with his behavior that night.

Abom noted Ems was not among the brothers recently accepted into accelerated rehabilitative disposition, which is a pre-trial intervention program in Pennsylvania given to non-violent offenders with little to no record. The AG’s office argued this option was not recommended due to Ems’s actions.

Prior to Marshall announcing his decision, the AG’s office had requested that Ems receive supervision beyond probation and anger management, with significant community service and fines.However, Abom argued that his client should receive a probation sentencing, with time to get his affairs in order before any stricter supervision.

Ems has left Penn State and now is working in real estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Both Abom and the AG’s office agreed it would be inappropriate to consider victim impact statements from the Piazza family. Paying restitution to the family for Piazza’s funeral costs was also determined beyond the scope of Thursday’s proceedings.

The defense and prosecution clashed over the use of footage beyond Ems’s interactions with Lorenz, which Marshall ultimately allowed to be shown. The AG office argued that such video evidence would show true insight into Ems’s character.

In August, Ems pleaded guilty to charges including one count of hazing and one count of unlawful acts relative to liquor, malt and brewed beverages and licenses.

For the one count of hazing, Ems will be placed on the 12 months of probation and a fine of $1,000. With this charge, Ems is also required to maintain a no -contact agreement with Lorenz.

His count of unlawful acts relative to liquor, malt and brewed beverages and licenses resulted in a fine of $500.

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