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 Post subject: Bullied to Death
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:58 pm 
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Can bullying be stopped?
Felony charges for teens under the legal age? Bills passing in the House? Any of this gonna help?

Suicides are on the rise. Kids being bullied at school and online, having no secure place to be. And as shown below, it's not just one bully either.

9 Indicted in Death of Bullied South Hadley Teen
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Pheobe Prince (Family photo/Springfield Republican)

March 29, 2010 12:28 PM
By Brian Ballou, 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.

"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 teenage girls accused of violating Prince's civil rights, criminal harassment, and disturbing a school assembly. Two male teens are facing charges of statutory rape.

Prince committed suicide two days before a high school dance this January, a death that school officials say followed merciless bullying directed at Prince by classmates at South Hadley High School.

At today's press conference, Scheibel provided stunning new details about the intensity of bullying Prince sustained since last fall. She also said that on at least one occasion, a school staffer witnessed the bullying while Prince was in a school library.

"From information known to investigators thus far, it appears that Phoebe's death on January 14th followed a tortuous day for her, in which she was subjected to verbal harassment and threatened physical abuse,'' Scheibel said.

On that day, she said, Prince was harassed while she was studying in the school library around lunch period, as she walked in the hallways near the end of the school day, and as she walked on Newton Street toward her home.

"The harassment reported to have occurred that day in the school library, appears to have been conducted in the presence of a faculty member and several students, but went unreported to school administrators until after Phoebe's death,'' Scheibel said.

On the day of her death, she said, a male and two females were involved in behavior that "appears to have been motivated by the group's displeasure with Prince's brief dating relationship with the male student.''

Scheibel's office released this list of those being charged, and the charges they face.

-- Sean Mulveyhill, 17, of South Hadley, charged with statutory rape, violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, disturbance of a school assembly.

-- Austin Renaud, 18, of Springfield, charged with statutory rape.

-- Kayla Narey, 17, of South Hadley, charged with violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, disturbance of a school assembly.

-- Ashley Longe, 16, of South Hadley, charged with violation of civil rights, as a youthful offender.

-- Flannery Mullins, 16, of South Hadley, charged with violation of civil rights as a youthful offender, stalking as a youthful offender.

-- Sharon Chanon Velazquez, 16, of South Hadley, charged with violation of civil rights as a youthful offender, stalking as a youthful offender.

Three juveniles, all females from South Hadley, are also facing charges as juveniles, Scheibel's office said. Two of the complaints charge one count each of violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, and disturbance of a school assembly. One complaint charges one count each of violation of civil rights, assault by means of a dangerous weapon (bottle, can, or beverage container), and disturbance of a school assembly.

Also, one of the juveniles was charged in a separate complaint involving a second victim, with one count of assault and battery.

The defendants will be summoned to court for arraignment in the coming weeks.

Prince's death and the 2009 death of 11-year-old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, 11, of Springfield, helped motivate both the Senate and the House to push through new antibullying measures. A conference committee is to meet this week to settle differences between the two versions.

********************************************************

this story tells a bit more of the bullying details.


Phoebe Prince, South Hadley High School's 'new girl,' driven to suicide by teenage cyber bullies
Image
A candlelight vigil is held at South Hadley, Mass., High School for freshman Phoebe Prince, 15, originally from Ireland, after her suicide in January. Now fellow students are facing charges.
BY Helen Kennedy
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Monday, March 29th 2010, 3:58 PM

Nine Massachusetts teenagers were indicted Monday for driving a pretty 15-year-old "new girl" from Ireland to suicide in a case that has become a symbol of high school and online bullying.

The sweeping charges - which come after months of complaints that the bullies weren't being punished - include statutory rape, violation of civil rights with bodily injury, criminal harassment and stalking.

Phoebe Prince, a new arrival at South Hadley High School from a tiny seaside hamlet in County Clare, was mercilessly tormented by a cadre of classmates later dubbed the "Mean Girls" by Massachusetts newspapers.

"The investigation revealed relentless activity directed towards Phoebe designed to humiliate her and to make it impossible for her to remain at school," said District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel.

"The bullying for her became intolerable."

According to students, Phoebe was called "Irish slut" and "whore" on Twitter, Craigslist, Facebook and Formspring.

Her books were routinely knocked out of her hands, items were flung at her, her face was scribbled out of photographs on the school walls, and threatening text messages were sent to her cell phone.

Scheibel said she had drawn the ire of the "Mean Girls" by briefly dating a popular senior football player in her first weeks at the school.

On Jan. 14, Phoebe was harassed and threatened in the school library and in a hallway at school, Scheibel said. As she walked home, one of the "Mean Girls" drove by and threw a can of Red Bull at her.

Phoebe walked into her house and hung herself in a stairwell.

But the nastiness didn't even end there. Her tormentors actually posted snide comments on the dead girl's Facebook memorial page.

For months, community anger simmered that no punishment had befallen Phoebe's bullies. Petitions were signed and town hall meetings held.

Scheibel said her investigators were taking the time to investigate thoroughly, and slammed "the inexplicable lack of cooperation from Internet service providers, in particular Facebook and Craigslist."

Seven of the nine charged Monday are girls charged with a range of crimes, from criminal harassment to stalking to civil rights violations. A juvenile was charged with assault by means of a dangerous weapon - namely, the Red Bull can.

The two males, 17 and 18, are charged with statutory rape.

Unveiling the indictments Monday, Scheibel said numerous faculty members, staff members and administrators at South Hadley High School were aware of the bullying - some even witnessed physical abuse - and did nothing.

She said the investigation looked at whether the adults' failure to help Phoebe amounted to criminal behavior.

"In our opinion, it did not," she said. "Nevertheless, the actions or inactions of some adults at the school are troublesome."


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Last edited by p911gt10c on Mon Apr 12, 2010 3:49 pm, edited 6 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:04 pm 
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hopefully it will stop it. i mean, theres the usualy harrassing that most if not all students go through that is perfectly acceptable imo, but ive seen some go way over the line

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:17 pm 
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sometimes im kinda a jerk. sorry :wave:


Last edited by Skitch Patterson on Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:59 pm 
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The only time the town I grew up in makes national news is for this :shake:

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 7:09 pm 
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:|

Ugh. Cute kid, sorta looks like Spike's wife.


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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 7:48 pm 
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The saddest part is that someone started a memorial group for her on Facebook and some kids continued to post and make fun of her in there after the suicide.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:43 pm 
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dscans wrote:
The saddest part is that someone started a memorial group for her on Facebook and some kids continued to post and make fun of her in there after the suicide.


That would make my blood boil.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:30 pm 
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p911gt10c wrote:
dscans wrote:
The saddest part is that someone started a memorial group for her on Facebook and some kids continued to post and make fun of her in there after the suicide.


That would make my blood boil.


sometimes its okay to hit children.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:48 am 
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windedsailor wrote:
p911gt10c wrote:
dscans wrote:
The saddest part is that someone started a memorial group for her on Facebook and some kids continued to post and make fun of her in there after the suicide.


That would make my blood boil.


sometimes its okay to hit children.



but when breaking up that fight, would it be ok to hold the kid a few seconds longer and let others get in a few extra hits?

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:48 am 
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Peeps wrote:
windedsailor wrote:
p911gt10c wrote:
dscans wrote:
The saddest part is that someone started a memorial group for her on Facebook and some kids continued to post and make fun of her in there after the suicide.


That would make my blood boil.


sometimes its okay to hit children.



but when breaking up that fight, would it be ok to hold the kid a few seconds longer and let others get in a few extra hits?

I was about to post this.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:57 am 
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funny how that works, i was about to pick she sells sanctuary

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 1:01 am 
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lol

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:57 pm 
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i guess this is somewhat relevant

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/phili ... _evil.html

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:33 pm 
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School staffs face tough questions on bullying
By DENISE LAVOIE
The Associated Press
Tuesday, March 30, 2010; 2:21 PM

BOSTON -- School officials in western Massachusetts didn't follow all the anti-bullying advice they were given months before a harassed freshman girl committed suicide, according to a consultant who offered the tips.

Barbara Coloroso said she consulted with parents and administrators months before 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January. Authorities say she endured months of verbal assaults and threats, mostly in school and in person, although some of the bullying occurred on Facebook and in other electronic forms.

"The questions to ask are: Did they follow their own rules and did they keep Phoebe safe? Obviously not. And, did they deal effectively with the bullies? Obviously not," Coloroso told The Associated Press Tuesday.

Nine fellow students face charges in connection with the girl's death, including two teen boys charged with statutory rape and a clique of girls charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights. School officials won't be charged, even though authorities say they knew about the bullying.

School officials have not returned messages left by The Associated Press.

Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel, who announced the charges Monday, said the events that occurred between September and Phoebe's death Jan. 14 were "the culmination of a nearly three-month campaign of verbally assaultive behavior and threats of physical harm."

Scheibel said the case is still under investigation and that one other person could be charged. It's unknown whether the teens who have been charged have attorneys.

Schiebel refused to discuss the circumstances of the rape charges.

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.

"Nevertheless, the actions - or inactions - of some adults at the school are troublesome," she said.

Phoebe was born in Bedford, England and moved to County Clare, Ireland, when she was 2. She moved last summer to South Hadley because the family had relatives there.

Her family has since moved away and could not immediately be located for comment.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:10 am 
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This shit makes me sick to my stomach. What is wrong with people?

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:15 pm 
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Athletic Supporter wrote:
:|

Ugh. Cute kid, sorta looks like Spike's wife.

:?

also, lol @ peeps posting in thread first.


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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:52 pm 
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rafa_garcia18 wrote:


Thanks for posting that.

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:04 pm 
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*takes spikes lunch money*

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:07 pm 
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I always wondered, why would anyone be selling sea shells on the sea shore? are they upgrades of the ones lying on that particular beach? silly rhyme that one

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 Post subject: Re: Can bullying be stopped?
PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:10 pm 
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Teen girls plead not guilty in bully suicide case
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Phoebe Prince, 15, committed suicide in January in Massachusetts.
By the CNN Wire Staff
April 8, 2010 5:57 p.m. EDT

Hadley, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Lawyers for three Massachusetts teenage girls accused of bullying a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide entered not guilty pleas on their behalf Thursday.

Ashley Longe, Flannery Mullins and Sharon Chanon Velazquez, all 16, were arraigned Thursday, although they did not appear in court.

They are all charged with civil rights violations resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbing a school assembly. Mullins and Velazquez are also charged with stalking, and Longe is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

They were released on their own recognizance but ordered not to have any contact with the family of Phoebe Prince and to appear for booking procedures by Wednesday.

Prince, who had moved from Ireland to South Hadley with her family, hanged herself in January after enduring what prosecutors described as months of bullying. She was subjected to "verbally assaultive behavior and threats of physical harm," Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel said last month.

She said that the bullying appears to have been triggered by Prince's brief relationship with a male student.

Three other teenagers -- Sean Mulveyhill, 17, Kayla Narey, 17, and Austin Renaud, 18 -- pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges in the case. In the indictments, which were returned last month, a Hampshire County grand jury charged Mulveyhill with statutory rape, violation of civil rights with resulting bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.

The indictments charged Renaud, of Springfield, with statutory rape.

"My client wants people to know that he's been charged with a crime, that he's presumed to be innocent and that he's pled not guilty," Terrence Dunphy, attorney for Renaud, said this week.

Narey, of South Hadley, was charged with violation of civil rights with resulting bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.

South Hadley Public Schools Superintendent Gus Sayer has defended school administrators' handling of the matter, saying Prince had not told anyone about her situation.

None of the six students identified in the indictment remains in school, he said.

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