News
Roxbury teens sentenced in attack on girl
Published: Mar 29, 2004 - 01:27 AM
Their attorneys called them smart and athletic, young men of strong character. The 16-year-old girl they victimized and her supporters had other adjectives to describe them: Cowards. Bullies. Followers. Criminals. The clashing portrayals of four former Roxbury High School wrestlers were presented in Superior Court in Morristown yesterday, as the teens were sentenced for their roles in a sexual assault at the high school last year.
All four must serve in a juvenile work program and perform community service. Two, including the recipient of the sex act the girl was coerced into, will have the charges against them dropped, and none has to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law.
Yesterday, the victim spoke to the four in court.
"I will never forgive or forget what you did to me," said the girl, standing rigid, her thin body angled toward the judge so she would not see her former friends.
The teens showed no emotion as she read from a prepared statement, describing her anguish at being called a "lying slut" for telling authorities she was pressured to perform oral sex on one of them in a Roxbury High School locker room on the night of Feb. 26, 2003.
She said she didn't want their apologies, sympathy or pity, and they voiced none.
They all declined when Superior Court Judge Thomas Critchley Jr. invited them to speak.
Several of the attorneys said their clients regretted being involved, but only one directed an apology to the victim, identifying her by her initials.
"We are sorry this whole thing happened, and we're sorry to J.H., period," said Jeff Advokat, whose 18-year-old client was one of two who admitted pressuring the girl into performing the sex act.
The 1 1/2-hour sentencing began with the attorneys for the former wrestlers trumpeting their athletic and academic achievements. They then described the hardships the teens endured in the case and the media attention it drew.
Acknowledging the victim's suffering, defense attorney Gerard Hanlon then said, "It was sad for the boys involved in this, as well, because their lives were turned upside down."
Robert Scirocco said his 17-year-old client was forced to leave the state to finish high school because of all the publicity.
The attorneys attributed the wrestlers' actions to their immaturity. "You have to look at the fact that these are just kids," Hanlon said.
Scirocco called it "just something that sort of got out of control."
Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Meg Rodriguez blasted the attorneys for trying to make excuses for their clients, and for trying to portray them as upstanding young men.
"Character is not something that can be measured by good grades, or merit badges or a varsity patch on your arm," Rodriguez said. "Character is determined by actions, and the actions of these boys on Feb. 26, 2003, shows their true character."
Turning and pointing at the wrestlers, she said they were bullies and followers, "so self-righteous and self-centered" that "they literally thought they owned the school and could do anything inside."
Three of the teens picked the girl up that night, saying they were going to a local Wendy's restaurant. Instead, they took her to the high school locker room, where three others were waiting. One left. Those remaining goaded and coerced her to perform the sex act on a teammate.
"They wouldn't take no for an answer. They just kept hounding me," she testified in January. She asked one of the defendants to drive her home, but he refused, and left her there. When she was alone with the boy, she asked that they just pretend she did it, but he told her she had to follow through.
After a delay by Roxbury officials in reporting the case to police, the five wrestlers present were charged in August 2003 with a variety of sex assault, conspiracy and criminal restraint charges. One of the teens, who was a senior wrestler at Roxbury this year, agreed to cooperate with authorities in October.
In January, two pleaded guilty to badgering roles in the assault, but the remaining two opted to go to trial, maintaining the girl had been a willing participant. On the second day of their trial, the judge urged a plea arrangement because of the duress the girl was under on the witness stand. The two admitted their roles in the assault in exchange for lenient sentences and having their records expunged after a year or less.
The two teens who first pleaded guilty were each sentenced yesterday to 40 days in a juvenile work program, along with 40 hours of community service.
The teen who admitted being the recipient of the sex act was sentenced to eight days in the work program and 25 hours of community service. His charge will be dismissed in a year.
The teen who refused her plea for a ride home was sentenced to three days in the work program and 20 hours of community service. The charge against him will be dropped in six months.
None of the four will be registered as sex offenders under Megan's Law.
"One of the lessons of this is how much damage can be done in such a short time to so many people," Critchley said.
In his statement to the court yesterday, the girl's father said his whole family was in counseling and "under doctor's care."
The girl's mother explained that her 12-year-old son learned what happened to his sister "by being teased and harassed at school." Her daughter was run out of Roxbury High by the constant insults and forced to switch schools mid- year.
"She has lost friends and gained enemies. No one should have to go through this, let alone a 16-year-old girl. What gave you the right and how do you live with yourselves?" she said to the teens.
The soft-spoken victim said it felt good to finally get to tell her attackers what she thought of them.
"I just hope one day you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and realize what you did to me was wrong and live with that for the rest of your lives. I will be okay, and I will follow all my hopes and dreams to the future. You don't have control over me anymore; you haven't won," she said, breaking into sobs.
Yesterday, the victim spoke to the four in court.
"I will never forgive or forget what you did to me," said the girl, standing rigid, her thin body angled toward the judge so she would not see her former friends.
The teens showed no emotion as she read from a prepared statement, describing her anguish at being called a "lying slut" for telling authorities she was pressured to perform oral sex on one of them in a Roxbury High School locker room on the night of Feb. 26, 2003.
She said she didn't want their apologies, sympathy or pity, and they voiced none.
They all declined when Superior Court Judge Thomas Critchley Jr. invited them to speak.
Several of the attorneys said their clients regretted being involved, but only one directed an apology to the victim, identifying her by her initials.
"We are sorry this whole thing happened, and we're sorry to J.H., period," said Jeff Advokat, whose 18-year-old client was one of two who admitted pressuring the girl into performing the sex act.
The 1 1/2-hour sentencing began with the attorneys for the former wrestlers trumpeting their athletic and academic achievements. They then described the hardships the teens endured in the case and the media attention it drew.
Acknowledging the victim's suffering, defense attorney Gerard Hanlon then said, "It was sad for the boys involved in this, as well, because their lives were turned upside down."
Robert Scirocco said his 17-year-old client was forced to leave the state to finish high school because of all the publicity.
The attorneys attributed the wrestlers' actions to their immaturity. "You have to look at the fact that these are just kids," Hanlon said.
Scirocco called it "just something that sort of got out of control."
Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Meg Rodriguez blasted the attorneys for trying to make excuses for their clients, and for trying to portray them as upstanding young men.
"Character is not something that can be measured by good grades, or merit badges or a varsity patch on your arm," Rodriguez said. "Character is determined by actions, and the actions of these boys on Feb. 26, 2003, shows their true character."
Turning and pointing at the wrestlers, she said they were bullies and followers, "so self-righteous and self-centered" that "they literally thought they owned the school and could do anything inside."
Three of the teens picked the girl up that night, saying they were going to a local Wendy's restaurant. Instead, they took her to the high school locker room, where three others were waiting. One left. Those remaining goaded and coerced her to perform the sex act on a teammate.
"They wouldn't take no for an answer. They just kept hounding me," she testified in January. She asked one of the defendants to drive her home, but he refused, and left her there. When she was alone with the boy, she asked that they just pretend she did it, but he told her she had to follow through.
After a delay by Roxbury officials in reporting the case to police, the five wrestlers present were charged in August 2003 with a variety of sex assault, conspiracy and criminal restraint charges. One of the teens, who was a senior wrestler at Roxbury this year, agreed to cooperate with authorities in October.
In January, two pleaded guilty to badgering roles in the assault, but the remaining two opted to go to trial, maintaining the girl had been a willing participant. On the second day of their trial, the judge urged a plea arrangement because of the duress the girl was under on the witness stand. The two admitted their roles in the assault in exchange for lenient sentences and having their records expunged after a year or less.
The two teens who first pleaded guilty were each sentenced yesterday to 40 days in a juvenile work program, along with 40 hours of community service.
The teen who admitted being the recipient of the sex act was sentenced to eight days in the work program and 25 hours of community service. His charge will be dismissed in a year.
The teen who refused her plea for a ride home was sentenced to three days in the work program and 20 hours of community service. The charge against him will be dropped in six months.
None of the four will be registered as sex offenders under Megan's Law.
"One of the lessons of this is how much damage can be done in such a short time to so many people," Critchley said.
In his statement to the court yesterday, the girl's father said his whole family was in counseling and "under doctor's care."
The girl's mother explained that her 12-year-old son learned what happened to his sister "by being teased and harassed at school." Her daughter was run out of Roxbury High by the constant insults and forced to switch schools mid- year.
"She has lost friends and gained enemies. No one should have to go through this, let alone a 16-year-old girl. What gave you the right and how do you live with yourselves?" she said to the teens.
The soft-spoken victim said it felt good to finally get to tell her attackers what she thought of them.
"I just hope one day you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and realize what you did to me was wrong and live with that for the rest of your lives. I will be okay, and I will follow all my hopes and dreams to the future. You don't have control over me anymore; you haven't won," she said, breaking into sobs.
