9 indicted in death of South Hadley teen, who took life after bullying

[Hepburn]

Source: Metro Desk -- Boston Globe


Brian Ballou, By Globe Staff

NORTHAMPTON -- Six teenagers plus three juvenile students were indicted today in connection with the death of Phoebe Prince, the South Hadley teenager who allegedly took her own life in response to a barrage of bullying.

The charges include statutory rape, violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, and disturbing a school assembly. Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel announced the charges today.

"Their conduct far exceeded the limits of normal teenage relationship-related quarrels,'' Scheibel said of the nine teens, the oldest of whom is 18 years old, now facing criminal charges.

Among those charged, according to Scheibel, were three teenaged girls who have been indicted on charges of violation of Prince's civil rights, criminal harassment and disturbing a school assembly. Two male teens are facing charges of statutory rape.





Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/03/holding_for_pho.html

---

It is about time someone stepped in and protected those who are being bullied. The article also states that school staff witnessed some of the bullying and did NOTHING!

Edit for typo

[Brickbat]

1. So very sad.

[Hepburn]

2. Absolutely sickening what went on...

...:cry:

[BeyondGeography]

3. I hope these kids are scared shitless right up until the time they are sent away

K&R

[Peregrine Took]

4. I'm glad they named names. n/t

[superconnected]

14. Me too. Now these creeps are going to claim all innocent and act like they are the victims.

At least the area knows their names.

[Yehonala]

72. Photos

And their photos so they're splashed all over the country.

[hlthe2b]

5. YES!

Finally... I've followed this story from my distant vantage point. Thank God, there is some good police work going on now to expose this atrocious incident. I feel SO sorry for her family back in Ireland.

Throw the book at 'em and clean up this evil nest.

[Hepburn]

6. Me, too...

...I read about this and wondered if there would be any justice for her. And today...there it was! Nine charged...and they named them! Too late, but better than doing nothing.

My hope is that maybe things like this will be nipped in the bud by those in charge ~~ parents and school staff and teachers. There simply is NO excuse to not do something to end the conduct.

[azurnoir]

7. Good for those that might not know or remember

the original story

Like a lot of kids her age, Phoebe Prince was a swan, always beautiful and sometimes awkward.


Last fall, she moved from Ireland into western Massachusetts, a new town, a new high school, a new country, a new culture. She was 15, when all that matters is being liked and wearing the right clothes and just fitting in.

She was a freshman and she had a brief fling with a senior, a football player, and for this she became the target of the Mean Girls, who decided then and there that Phoebe didn’t know her place and that Phoebe would pay.

Kids can be mean, but the Mean Girls took it to another level, according to students and parents. They followed Phoebe around, calling her a slut. When they wanted to be more specific, they called her an Irish slut.

The name-calling, the stalking, the intimidation was relentless.

Ten days ago, Phoebe was walking home from school when one of the Mean Girls drove by in a car. An insult and an energy drink can came flying out the car window in Phoebe’s direction.

Phoebe kept walking, past the abuse, past the can, past the white picket fence, into her house. Then she walked into a closet and hanged herself. Her 12-year-old sister found her.

You would think this would give the bullies who hounded Phoebe some pause. Instead, they went on Facebook and mocked her in death.

They told State Police detectives they did nothing wrong, had nothing to do with Phoebe killing herself.

And then they went right back to school and started badmouthing Phoebe.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=7567610

[Hepburn]

8. The mocking of her death...

...I cannot believe how evil one has to be to do anything like that.

:cry:

[azurnoir]

11. at there will be some sort of justice here

thanks for posting

[calimary]

80. I can't either. So horrible! So sad! That poor family!

Strangers in a VERY Strange Land. This is so awful.

I hope these so-called "children" get the book thrown at them. There should be HUGE consequences for this - levied against ALL concerned, especially those who stood and watched, or egged it on. May not stop future perps like these, but maybe it'll slow them down a little, or make them think.

Just awful. As the mother of two, including a teenager who got bullied pretty badly, this just hurts to the heart. My kid is still chafing from some of the treatment he got - just because he wasn't a jock and wanted to play music and write songs to express himself when the other kids were doing other things on the playground. And our school had already started an anti-bullying program - of sorts, I suppose. I finally had to write an extensive letter detailing my complaints and things that had happened, CC'ing it to my attorney AND to the Los Angeles Archdiocese before we got any serious attention. Of course, the LA Archdiocese was already in some hot water with angry mothers on - ahem - that other matter (thank you Benny the Rat) ...

[Yehonala]

73. Her 'Place'?

"decided then and there that Phoebe didn’t know her place"

Who the fuck are they to decide anything resembling someone's 'place' in that school? Disgusting animals they make me sick. Pity that they weren't kept in check and these hierarchies are allowed to develop.

[cali]

9. I am so glad.

little beasts. fuck them. I hope they enjoy the rest of their miserable little lives- some of it in prison.

say goodbye to college, kiddies.

[Hepburn]

13. For what they did...

...I have NO problem with them spending a hell of a lot of time in prison. Beyond cruel and evil.

[Yehonala]

74. Jobs Too

And good solid jobs, a good solid respectable marriage, and a bright, solid future.

[bluestateguy]

10. This is why we need tough new anti-bullying laws

and I hope this is stapled to every college application these kids send out.

[Robyn66]

12. Good I hope they go to jail (nt)

[femrap]

15. Are teachers afraid of being

sued by the Bullying parents?? :wtf:

Those bullies should have been expelled at the onset on the bullying.

[Odin2005]

44. They are afraid of pissing off school boards elected by the bullies' parents.

[Yehonala]

75. Solving the problem....?

Uh, no, that would actually solve the problem and then make the schools a solid, stable place for learning and growing. We can't have that now can we?

[renate]

16. how awesome that they named names

I just wish there were exceptions to the laws protecting juveniles so they could have been named too--that would do so much to stop bullying by younger teenagers. (Eight- or ten-year-olds shouldn't be named, but by 14 they certainly are mature enough to know that it's wrong. They do it precisely because they know perfectly well how hurtful it is, after all.) Still, I'll take this--good luck to these bullies when it's time for them to get jobs, scholarships, etc... for the rest of their lives anybody Googling them will find out what mean people they are.

[Yehonala]

76. It's fantastic

It's wonderful that these aniamls are being named. At last, REAL justice.

[JackDragna]

17. I hope there's a special place in hell for bullies.

I teach and I crucify anyone who even in jest seems to be tearing down another student.

[Kelvin Mace]

18. "Disturbing a school assembly"

Really? You know, if you are charging someone with rape, then "disturbing a school assembly" makes you look VERY petty and makes people question the other charges.

Given the seriousness of the situation, I would have not placed that charge.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. Statutory rape also seems to be reaching.

Considering the defendants were also minors at the time.

[Kelvin Mace]

22. Unfortunately, age consent laws are a mishmash of absurdity

And before anyone start saying I am sympathizing with the bullies, I am not. But statutory rape laws have lead to a lot of grief for teens in situations far removed from this one.

Personally, I am completely in favor of establishing a single "legal age" for voting, driving, drinking, smoking, sex, legal contracts, military service, emancipation, etc, and that should be the age at which the state will try you as an adult (which in some states would be 12).

If the state can put you in prison for life, or execute you, then you should have a legal say in all of these areas.

If you can "die for your country", then you should be able to drink a beer and smoke.

I want to see these people punished, but when a prosecutor starts "piling on", then they risk blowing the case. They may be able to pressure guilty pleas on lesser charges and call that a victory, or they may have to take the case to trial and lose.

Also, what about the adults? Why do they get a free pass?

[Democat]

25. Two minors having sex & the guy gets charged with rape?

Not sure that sounds right, unless there are more details here that we haven't heard? Was this all consensual?

If a girl had consensual sex with an underage guy, why isn't the girl being charged with rape as well?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. Sounds like a witch hunt.

[Moosepoop]

34. "why isn't the girl being charged with rape as well?"

Maybe because she's dead.

[Moosepoop]

33. Perhaps the school assembly was to announce/deal with her death.

Elsewhere on this thread it was reported that the bullying students continued to mock and disparage the victim even after her death, including at school. If some of this took place at an assembly regarding her death and it caused disruption of the assembly itself, I can see where the charges come in. All speculation on my part, of course.

[alp227]

20. Prince was an Irish immigrant. So there STILL exists anti-Irish sentiment in America?

It ain't the 1860s anymore. (See the Wikipedia article Anti-Irish racism) It'd be interesting if the DA decides to bring up hate crime charges against the bullies.

Teen bullying is so problematic in America, yet too many passive administrators won't deal with it because it's just too tough. Well, the lives of the students > admins' own selfish desires. I mean, if I were an admin, I'd sit through an intense exchange of conflicting claims just to get to the bottom of a story!

[Kelvin Mace]

24. Many adults I have spoken with

view bullying as "something kids do" and that children need to put up with it in order to learn that "the world is not a nice place".

Well, thank you Captain Obvious! No, the world is a nasty place populated with smegma-brained assholes like you. Why don't you redirect some of that outrage you spew for fetuses for the children "ex utero"?

[Kievan Rus]

38. There are civil rights charges included; the same thing the KKK was often prosecuted for

[whathehell]

46. That would be a strange thing in Mass, too...They have the highest

number of Irish-Americans in the country, I believe..25%.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

21. This enrages me, they couldn't be charged before hand?

This takes me right back to my high school, I was never bullied myself but bullying was rampant and the school completely refused to cooperate in what should have been police matters. Even when parents called the police themselves the school would stonewall.

Why? well the bullies were just being kids and there was no point screwing up their future. Not that the bullies had a future to screw up...

The most effective anti-bullying program is called incarceration,

If adults did the same thing they would be:

1. Fired,
2. Sued,
3. Prosecuted,
4. Incarcerated

but in a school environment it is "boys will be boys" and everyone looks the other way,

[christx30]

81. When I was in school

I had a horrible experience with bullies. I was beaten up and humiliated to the point where I was trying to make excuses to not go to school. I would tell the teacher, the principle, and the school counselor. They were worthless. "Kids being kids" and "just ignore them" and "agree with whatever they say. Eventually they will get bored and move on" were thrown at me. When I told my dad, he said "You have my permission to stand up to them.. Do what ever you want to them. You might get in trouble at school, but you won't at home." I had a conversation about it with the counselor. She said that violence never solves anything and I should try to make friends with them. Plus, I would get in trouble if I did anything to the bullies. I told her three things:
A) It seems like you are siding with them, being that you aren't telling them not to do this stuff to me.
B) I don't need your permission to stand up for myself and stop the aggression. Either you do something about it or I will
C) Even if I do get in trouble, what you do to me won't be nearly as bad as what they are doing to me. I'll consider it a cost of doing business.
This got me ISS for 2 days, which was fine.

When I got out one of the boys was walking beside me, teasing me about something. So I tripped him and kicked him in the stomach 3 times and the face once. He had to get stitches. I did get in trouble. I got yelled at by the administration. My dad went through the motions of yelling at me at school. But when I got home, But the rest of the kids left me alone for nearly a month.
It wasn't just fear that was stopping them. They saw that I had regained some of my self respect. I wasn't as broken to them as they thought I was.
I'm not saying that this is what every kid should do. But it worked for me.

[get the red out]

23. I hope it costs the vermin's parents

I hope the parents that produced this foul spawn have to pay out the ass. Those kids didn't just emerge as monsters out of the blue I'll bet.

Rape, my God getting beaten up was the worse we could expect from the bullies who were given free reign at my high school in the 70s. You could be beaten, threatened, harassed, lied on, but no one that I know of was raped. If these creatures are allowed to become worse every generation they will be using medieval torture devices within 20 years and the school administrations will still say "kids will be kids".

[varelse]

27. That's a step in the right direction, at last

[mzmolly]

28. The staff did nothing?

Almost as bad as the bullying itself. Poor child. :(

[Posteritatis]

36. Worse, as they know better and have the legal duty to intervene.

They should be charged, too.

[Dems to Win]

29. Next time homeschoolers are criticized for not socializing children, I will remember this story

It seems modern fuzzy-headed teachers and school administrators are more concerned with the self-esteem of the bullies than with demanding civilized behavior from all students while on school property. I can definitely understand why parents choose homeschooling.

[rfranklin]

30. That is a ridiculous statement...

You have very little information on which to base that sweeping conclusion.

[Odin2005]

42. No, that poster is completely correct.

[Odin2005]

43. You described my school experience perfectly.

[Jefferson23]

31. No school officials are being charged because they had "a lack of understanding

of harassment associated with teen dating relationships," and the school's code of conduct was interpreted and enforced in an "inconsistent" way, Scheibel said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jtSfPUlJn7oUv4nT-KF2Kqs7J6mQD9EOG37O0



What the hell kind of excuse is that??

[laylah]

32. My oldest was harrassed and

bullied CONSTANTLY during her Freshman year of High School. She would not let me get involved, wanted to "do it self". I allowed that until she had had 3 peer interventions and numerous conversations with the principal and other teachers. In her instances of being bullied, teachers also witnessed the incidents and did nothing. I finally did intervene, calling the principal and telling her she probably would rather hear from me than our attorney. The bullying stopped.

My point is, isn't it sad a parent has to intervene, threaten legal action and other avenues, for the ADULTS in charge to take action themselves.

I am so sorry for this young girl and her family. May those little bastards that did this to her be sentenced to a VERY long time to think about their reprehensible ways.

[Old Troop]

35. My daugher was bullied

It was the saddest period of our lives. It ruined her senior year in high school and has changed her attitude about people significantly. We talked to school administrators who refused to intervene. They demanded that she attend an anger management class although teachers agreed that she was the victim. She was elected homecoming queen and another girl (in the cool group) thought she should have been selected. The bullying even included letters to my wife and I telling us what a slut our daughter was.

[LisaM]

37. Administrators and teachers are not the same

I'm glad you pointed out that it was the administrators in your case.

That said, teh schools are probably afraid of the parents. If the kids act like that, the parents are probably worse and would probably sue - which schools can ill afford to deal with.

[NavyMom]

39. Unfortunately bullying is becoming more common than high school graduation

if you know some kid being bully document document document. Girl bullies are worst than the boys, they are relentless in their taunts and it appears some teachers thinks this is kids will be kids. My nephew is an assistant principal at a middle school his idea is to send them all to an alternative school, parents must sign a contract, with other bullies where they a counseled to see if they have issues or are they just bad kids if so give them two chances at this school if they continue at this school they will be fined and depending on the offense they can be charged in court.

I think the teachers/adults at this school that knew this child was being bullied should also face charges, it's like cheering on a rapist while he is doing the deed.

[Odin2005]

40. Charge them with murder.

[chrisa]

41. Sociopaths.

The kids that did this are sociopaths. They don't care that the girl they bullied took her life. They probably even think it's funny, and want to find another victim. The mob-mentality also helps diffuse responsibility. They are all doomed to social failure in life, most likely making their rounds in the prison system many times, imo. They will be social cretins, outbursting verbally and physically inappropriately for their whole lives.

Sadly, the only interaction they understand is what affects them. They will feel sorrow for going to prison, but will sleep like babies at night, with no stain on their consciences. Is it insanity, or just a certain lack of love they experienced in their lives that turned them into emotionless monsters?

[Yehonala]

77. Fuck That

" Is it insanity, or just a certain lack of love they experienced in their lives that turned them into emotionless monsters?"

Fuck that. People who go through torture manage to deal with it and be decent human beings. People who never knew love in their life manage to avoid hurting people. These kids are obviously loved since their parents are defending their actions.

[eridani]

45. About time this crap got taken seriously n/t

[Rage Inc.]

47. Prosecutor: Nine teens charged in bullying that led to girl's suicide

Source: CNN.com

(CNN) -- Nine Massachusetts teenagers have been charged with involvement in a monthslong campaign of bullying that led to the January suicide of a 15-year-old girl, a prosecutor said.

Phoebe Prince's body was found hanging in the stairway leading to her family's second-floor apartment in South Hadley, Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel told reporters Monday in the western Massachusetts town of Northampton.

"It appears that Phoebe's death on January 14 followed a torturous day for her when she was subjected to verbal harassment and physical abuse," Scheibel said.

Earlier that day, Phoebe had been harassed as she studied in the library at South Hadley High School, apparently in the presence of a faculty member and several students, none of whom reported it until after the girl's death, Scheibel said.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/30/massachusetts.bullying.suicide/index.html?hpt=T2

---

That last paragraph makes my blood boil, and is part of the reason why I, unlike most Democrats, have little use for teachers' unions.

In the presence of a faculty member! Whom, it would seem, did nothing to break it up, either!

Don't get me wrong: I'm perfectly willing to acknowledge that most teachers in this country are hard-working and dedicated. But I have met exceptions to the rule, and the NEA, AFT and such are too often hindrances to ridding the system of people like the "faculty member" in this very sad story!

[hlthe2b]

48. I find it ridiculous to be blaming the teacher's union--without facts

There is nothing contained here that suggests there was an attempt to remove the faculty who failed to act and thus that the union might have been a hindrance to such actions.

These faculty that did nothing are at blame... To pinpoint the union as being in any way involved or responsible, is without basis. Your bias is showing.

[Rage Inc.]

50. The faculty member didn't report it till after the girl was dead!

Doesn't that kinda/sorta/maybe cause you to think that this individual wasn't exactly A-list material? Unfortunately, it's virtually impossible to fire an "educator" in this country! And, yes, you might say I do have a "bias," a bias against teachers who've no business in the classroom!

[Soylent Brice]

54. "The faculty member didn't report it till after the girl was dead!"

uh, the unions don't mandate this type of behavior.

boy, you're thick.

[hlthe2b]

59. No one is going to defend that teacher...straw man argument

But I see nothing to suggest that the union prevented the district from identifying this teacher as a problem in the past nor firing them, if previous problems had been detected. Where is your evidence to suggest the union was at all a problem or at fault in this instance?

I find such unsubstantiated accusations to be absolutely disgusting from a DUer.

[Ian David]

60. "You don't need evidence when you have the right... inflection."- Stephen Colbert.

[hlthe2b]

62. ...

;)

[closeupready]

49. WTF. The teachers' union has nothing to do with this.

Why do you attack them?

[Soylent Brice]

51. way to attack unions there.

and for apparently no reason at all as well.
unrec for ridiculous personal statement.

the story is extremely sad, as well as the circumstances. your statement insinuates that unions encourage this type of behavior, which is utterly ignorant.

[apnu]

52. The whole school is complicit in this crime

the article:

"The bullying of Phoebe was common knowledge to most of the student body and to certain faculty, staff and administrators, (Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D.) Scheibel said. At least four students and two faculty members had intervened during the harassment, but the school's code of conduct was inconsistently enforced, she said."

[Ian David]

53. We should arm the teachers so they could have shot the kids who were bullying her.

What?

I'm sorry, I thought we were playing a game called, "How Far Can You Stretch This to Shoehorn-In Your Favorite Right-Wing Talking Point."

Who wants to play next?

[Soylent Brice]

55. !!

:rofl:

[Rage Inc.]

56. Ha! From 3 recs to zero!

If only our leaders in Congress enforced such party discipline: We'd have a very robust public option now!

[Soylent Brice]

58. ...

:popcorn:

enjoy your stay.

[JoshieR]

57. Is it just me..

..or do schools seem to be getting more and more volatile in terms of emotional bullying? Maybe I'm just naive, but when I was in school not too long ago, we didn't have kids harassing other kids to the point of suicide, or parents getting involved and harassing children via Myspace, or kids setting other kids on fire because of a $40 video game. I am extremely nervous about sending my children to school when they come of age.

In regard to the inaction of teachers or faculty, I think that a lot of them are scarred. Scarred not only of incurring the wrath of students who they may punish, but also scarred that if they do intervene that their actions may be criticized by parents with the "my child can do no wrong" attitude, who may cause headaches for the administration and the faculty involved. We're really constraining the role of teachers these days. Bring back the nuns with rulers, I say!

[Ian David]

61. I don't think it's anything new, but if it is, it's not just our schools. n/t

[Jefferson23]

64. Bring back the nuns with rulers?? You realize we are speaking

about PUBLIC school, right? And advocating for hitting children is NOT an answer to bullying.


Enjoy your time here on DU!

[JoshieR]

70. I was...

referring to the "nuns with rulers" more as a metaphore for a more controlled classroom environment. WHile I don't advocate teachers hitting students, I do think that the US education system has its hands tied in dealing with children who act out. I am amazed at the lack of respect for authority that many kids have these days. I know it begins with the parents, but having a school that turns a blind eye to this type of behavior until something terrible happens just compounds the issue.

[Ian David]

65. Yes! Send in THE NUNS!

[Rozlee]

67. Welcome to DU, I've got a grandson that's already being bullied. And he's only 4!

He's obsessed with dinosaurs. In daycare, he draws little dinosaur pictures. Outside, he pretends to dig up dinosaur bones. He plays pretend with his little friends that he's T-Rex and they are all other dinosaurs. He takes in his little dinosaurs toys. But, there is this little monster, I'll call him Glenn, who constantly attacks and fights with him. He pushes, shoves and hits my grandson and gets "time out." Hardly a day goes by when my grandbaby doesn't come home with some story of Glenn having done something. And a few times, he's come home with bruises. One of these days, I'm going to kick me some Glenn's momma and daddy's asses. And if they're Teabaggers, I won't be surprised and it'll be a bonus.

[closeupready]

68. That makes me so angry.

You ought to talk with a lawyer, seriously. If your grandson is being bullied to the point of physical confrontations that leaves him with bruises, this needs to stop THIS VERY MINUTE, and ultimately, that is the responsibility of school administrators and by default, the school district.

[Yehonala]

78. You're Right

It was never this bad. I grew up in the eighties (26) and the schools were really tame. These days I can't believe the stuff I hear.

[Doremus]

63. Unrec'd for the lame-ass commentary by the OP.

Your straw man argument makes no sense but your hatefulness shines through in spades.

[Rage Inc.]

66. Check out the transcript of Dylan Ratigan's show today:

He was saying that faculty members (plural) at this school should have been prosecuted!

Terribly sorry that I cannot adjust my recollection of past events to suit your ideology, but I have met SEVERAL teachers, and a vice principal, whom I wouldn't want supervising my dog for six hours a day!

[hlthe2b]

69. and that has WHAT exactly to do with the teacher's union?

I think it highly probable some of the teachers should have been prosecuted or at least held liable for civil court actions... but again, what does that have to do with the union?

[buckrogers1965]

71. Where where the parents and teachers?

This should have been stopped after just a day or two and everyone involved been forced to apologize to their victim. The parents should have all been brought in and informed that they would be heavily fined or even face jail time unless they controlled their demon spawn children. If they refused or behaved badly again after that, then they should have been throw out of the school for a week and the parents heavily fined. If they started up again when they returned, they should have been thrown out for the rest of the year and their parents fined and jailed for a few days. Anyone else making comments to the girl about the event should have been thrown out of school for a week.

Absolutely no excuse for this to happen in a school.

[Yehonala]

79. I have a better idea....

"This should have been stopped after just a day or two and everyone involved been forced to apologize to their victim"

They should be horsewhipped.