FIVE OF THE SIX TEENAGERS accused over the death of Phoebe Prince early last year are prepared to admit to lesser charges if prosecutors are willing to waive the more serious ones being brought against them, according to a US report.
The Boston Globe reports today that someone familiar with the charges spoke to the paper on condition of anonymity.
Court documents already suggest that one of the six, 17-year-old Sharon Chanon Velazquez, has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Fifteen-year-old Phoebe Prince, originally from Co Clare, committed suicide at her family’s home in South Hadley, Massachusetts in January 2010.
Prosecutors said yesterday that they expect “significant developments in one or more of the cases”, but would not discuss any of the individual cases involved. They claim Prince was the victim of a relentless bullying campaign which included verbal abuse and insults posted on Facebook.
Velazquez and two other teenage girls, Flannery Mullins and Ashley Longe, are charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violation of Prince’s civil rights at a juvenile court.
Austin Renaud and Sean Mulveyhill face statutory rape charges for allegedly having sexual contact with Prince.
Mulveyhill and Kayla Narey, are also facing the same civil rights charge as Longe, Velazquez and Mullins. All have pleaded not guilty and five are due to appear in court in early May, while Renaud is due in court in July.
- Additional reporting by the AP
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