The first guilty plea has been made in a high school hazing case with four teens on trial for rape charges, according to the Washington Post.
A teen in the Damascus High School (Maryland) hazing trial pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree rape and three counts of attempted second-degree rape, the outlet reported while citing three anonymous sources.
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This is a reduced charge. The four 15-year-olds were indicted as adults and charged with one count of first-degree rape and three counts of attempted first-degree rape, according to the Washington Post.
The case was shortly after transferred to the juvenile system, the outlet reported.
Their attorneys then successfully argued to have the teens’ cases transferred to the juvenile court system, which is geared more toward rehabilitation than punishment.
The teen in this verdict is scheduled to be sentenced in two months. The Washington Post reported he could be sent to a youth detention facility, placed on probation, or both.
On Oct. 31, the four junior varsity players entered the freshman locker room and banged a broomstick on the walls, Montgomery Deputy State’s Attorney Peter Feeney said in a hearing, according to the Washington Post.
The suspects allegedly pushed the broom handle through one boys underwear and into his buttocks. They attempted the same to two other boys, and a fourth was knocked to the ground and stepped on as he tried to avoid the “brooming,” as it was referred to by players, according to the Washington Post.
The locker room was unsupervised that day. Superintendent Jack Smith said in a community letter that the junior varsity coaches were late and did not make arrangements with a different supervisor, according to the Washington Post.
Last month, junior varsity coach Vincent Colbert was placed on administrative leave and Principal Casey Crouse resigned.
The Damascus football program has been placed on probation.
