Tough Talking Prosecutors Betray Girl Bullied to Death

The case involving the death Phoebe Prince drew wide attention when tough talking prosecutors brought felony charges against six students at South Hadley Massachusetts High School, saying that they had tormented Phoebe, a newly arrived Irish immigrant, after she briefly dated the two male defendants.

Now those same prosecutors have apparently caved in their effort to hold those accountable for Phoebe’s death. Last week, criminal charges against students in the bullying of 15-year-old Phoebe, who hanged herself last year, were largely resolved when three former students were placed on probation and a statutory rape charge against another was dropped. If they satisfy their probation, the charges will be dismissed and they will not have criminal records.

According to the regional district attorney, David Sullivan, the defendants “have accepted responsibility for their actions and admitted that they engaged in criminal conduct toward Phoebe Prince in the weeks, days and hours before she took her life.”

* * * * BIG DEAL* * * * 

Accepting responsibility without consequences = utter and complete prosecutorial failure.

In the most moronic statement–and a fitting epitaph to this entire miscarriage of justice–Sullivan said that the prosecution had sent an important message: “these cases signify that bullying and harassment will not be tolerated in our schools.”

Huh? How is a few month’s probation and a clean record an “important message” for what is essentially incitement to murder? Perhaps children in South Hadley don’t appreciate right from wrong in this new digital age. Unfortunately Mr. Sullvan’s “intolerance” does nothing to advance either responsibility or justice.

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