Prosecutors launch criminal crackdown on mean Massachusetts teens

[jimmy olsen]

Okay, prosecuting the Prince case they're referring to I understand, IIRC there was rape and assault involved in that. However making a video, no matter how cruel shouldn't warrant prosecution unless they actually were abusing/doing something to him in the video. The article is unclear on that point though.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1243567&srvc=home&position=rated

Prosecutors launch criminal crackdown on mean Massachusetts teens

2 kids face harass rap on heels of Prince case
Dave Wedge By Dave Wedge

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 - Updated 4m ago
+ Recent Articles + Email + Bio
Boston Herald Chief Enterprise Reporter
Wedge is the Herald's Chief Enterprise Reporter and writes Sunday's "Pols & Politics" column. He also covers music for "The Edge" entertainment section.
EmailE-mail   PrintablePrint   Comments(0) Comments   LargerSmallerText size  Bookmark and Share Share   Buzz up!

A criminal crackdown on vicious school bullies is sweeping the Bay State as two Weymouth thugs who allegedly created a cruel YouTube video of a special needs student face charges - bringing to three the number of active prosecutions.

Monday's bombshell indictments of nine teens in the Phoebe Prince tragedy have parents peppering authorities with bullying complaints, including a flurry to one prosecutor whose "phone is ringing off the hook."

And cops and district attorneys aren't waiting for a new law specifically targeting bullies. They are bringing charges based on existing statutes, from stalking and harassment to identity fraud and civil rights violations.

"The message is that we as a society are not going to sit back and allow the incessant, nonstop bullying of children which can lead us to such tragic consequences as what happened to Phoebe Prince," Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz told the Herald. "We have an obligation to make sure we try to prevent this."

In Weymouth, two high school students are facing criminal harassment charges for allegedly filming a video mocking a physically impaired special needs student and posting it on YouTube last month, the Herald has learned.

Norfolk District Attorney William Keating said both unidentified students - a boy and a girl - have been disciplined by the school and their court cases are pending. The girl is an adult while the boy is under 17.

In Newburyport, three accused 14-year-old cyberbullies are facing identity fraud charges for allegedly creating a fake Facebook page in the name of their victim.

The Weymouth case occurred just days after Prince, a 15-year-old South Hadley High School student, killed herself in the tragic culmination of relentless taunting.

But in contrast to South Hadley, where prosecutors say school officials failed to stop the brutal attacks against Prince, Weymouth school officials notified police after the video made the rounds in school. Keating wouldn't divulge further details other than to say of the video: "It was bad. Very bad."

He also noted that the male defendant was himself the victim of bullying in the past.

"This is the cycle of bullying. He became the bully in this case," the DA said.

Meanwhile, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett - who is prosecuting the Newburyport identity fraud case -said he has been deluged with calls about bullying since Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel indicted two high school boys, four girls and three female juveniles on a variety of charges, including statutory rape, criminal harassment, stalking and civil rights violations.

"People are so disturbed by what happened in South Hadley that our phone is ringing off the hook," Blodgett said. "We're getting a ton of phone calls from schools and parents. We take them on a case-by-case basis."

DA Cruz said his office has been flooded with complaints about "sexting" - a practice in which kids text message racy pictures to each other. Cruz said sexting can often lead to bullying as young girls may see pictures intended to be viewed privately by boyfriends spread around the school and cyberspace.

[Grey Fox]

God, girls are crazy.

[HisMajestyBOB]

I read the thread title as "prostitutes" at first.

This thread disappoints. 

[Martinus]

Is bullying really more vicious these days or are kids (and or parents) more wimpy?

[Malthus]

Is bullying really more vicious these days or are kids (and or parents) more wimpy?

Technology is making acts that used to go hidden not only more visible, but visible to the whole world.

Parents may never have heard a threat uttered in a schoolyard, but they can watch it for themselves of Youtube - and play it back to teachers, the Principal, etc.

[DisturbedPervert]

Is bullying really more vicious these days or are kids (and or parents) more wimpy?

I think you just hear about this stuff more. 

[Martinus]

So in short, parents are more wimpy (even if they previous un-wimpy-tude was based on blissful ignorance).

[Barrister]

Criminal law is subject to trends and fads, same as anything else.

One of the most recent trends is against bullying.  It gets taken seriously.  But shoplift $100s out of a local store?  Good luck trying to get anything done.

[Martinus]

I think this simply means that the "Think of the Children" revolution starts to devour its own children (pun intended).

The first step was to go after sexual predators and pedophiles. While a good goal in itself, about 10 years ago it became similar to witchhunt, with a mere accusation costing people jobs etc. The next stage was going after stuff like violent video games and "wardrobe malfunctions". Now they are going after children (who bully other children, or are arrested for publishing child porn by sending their own pictures via mobile phones to other children). It's a full circle.

[Grey Fox]

It all comes from the notion that children are innoncent that innoncence should be preserved.

[grumbler]

It all comes from the notion that children are innoncent that innoncence should be preserved.

But it is expanded by the modern concept that parents do not have to take action against their kids if they don't want to, and schools can't take action even if they want to.  In the past, students that bullied this blatantly would be smacked around by the administration.  Now, the schools cannot do that, and the parents won't, so that leaves the law as the only recourse.