Penn State frat fined for alcohol death

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Jan. 26 (UPI) -- A Penn State fraternity that gave alcohol to a freshman before his death has been sentenced to 70 days of community service and a $500 fine.

Centre County Judge Thomas Kistler had ruled in December that Alpha Tau Omega was responsible for giving alcohol to Joseph Dado, 18, on Sept. 19, 2009, the Centre Daily Times of State College, Pa., reported.

Dado was reported missing the next day and was found more than 30 hours later in an outdoor stairwell, only 75 steps from where he was last seen.

Campus and town police, retracing his steps, found that Dado drank alcohol at several locations, including while playing beer-drinking game at the ATO chapter, which has about 70 members.

Two friends also were charged with giving him alcohol and were put in probation that, if successfully completed, will blot the charges from their records.

Attorney Kathleen Yurchak argued unsuccessfully that the party was not sanctioned by the fraternity. Kistler said it clearly provided beer to its guests without any effort to restrict access.