Eleven players have been charged in the hazing of a younger player who was tied up, put in a car trunk and driven to remote field.
www.syracuse.com
Some major points:
[Judge] Mullin said in court that he closed the court so that the four older players who must appear in town court will be treated the same as the seven younger players who have also been charged in the abduction and hazing but do not appear in town court.
The seven younger players’ cases will be handled by the probation department and family court.
At about 6:15 p.m., the players left the town court building by the back door. One player put a coat over his head; another ran to a waiting car, covering his face with a paper.
The sheriff’s office, the DA’s office and the court have declined to identify any of the players.
The lawyer said the goal is rehabilitation and not public shaming.
It is unlikely any players’ names will be made public by the courts or police.
For the four older players, state law requires first-time offenders charged with a misdemeanor to receive mandatory youthful offender status, which will seal the record of the crime from the public, Chief Assistant District Attorney Joseph Coolican said.
Youths are prosecuted by the county attorney’s office, which is under the county executive’s office. They would not be prosecuted by the DA’s office.
The younger players will report to the county probation department, which will assess the case and begin supervision, Durr said.
Westhill players were also involved in a
failed abduction attempt the day prior to the abduction, Fitzpatrick has said.
On April 23, the targets of the hazing recognized the older students and knew it was a “sick joke.” No abduction actually occurred, he said. Fitzpatrick said no victim is seeking additional charges for the failed abduction.
The students have been disciplined by the school but Westhill School Superintendent Stephen Dunham has said he will not release the details of their punishments.
abcnews.go.com
