Hazing trial set for ex-East High athlete
But despite the serious charges against him, the teen apparently forgot about his final pretrial hearing on Wednesday. The boy showed up to court 50 minutes after his hearing was scheduled to begin, prompting a strong scolding from 3rd District Juvenile Judge Dane Nolan.
"This is a high-profile matter," Nolan told the boy. "You're old enough you shouldn't have to rely on your mom (to remind you). I'm not happy with the fact you can't remember."
Both the boy and his mother apologized to the judge, saying they simply forgot about the hearing.
The boy, 16, was charged in juvenile court with forcible sodomy, attempted forcible sodomy and forcible sexual abuse in connection with three hazings while a member of the East High football team. In January, he was charged with five additional felonies involving sexual misconduct with two boys, ages 8 and 11. The teen pointed a gun at the children and demanded sexual favors, according to prosecutors.
The boy was one of three former East students charged in connection with the hazing incidents. The two other boys struck plea deals in December. The boys pleaded to reduced charges in exchange for testifying against the third defendant and were sentenced to 100 hours community service.
The Deseret Morning News does not print the names of defendants charged in juvenile court.
In addition to the teen and his mother being late Monday, their attorney, Russ Pietryga, was also 30 minutes late because he got the start time of the hearing wrong. Nolan also gave Pietryga a scolding for being late, which continued after court was dismissed.
Once the hearing got going, the teen's probation officer noted that he had had no violations since being under home detention and had maintained a 3.8 GPA at his new school. Outside the courtroom, however, the boy could be seen getting another lecture by the probation officer over being late for court.
Nolan noted in court that a plea deal seemed unlikely in either of the boy's cases. He sternly told the boy and his attorney that he was clearing his calender on Feb. 29 and March 7 for both cases, and there would be no continuances. Nolan then had the boy stand up and repeat to him the day and time of his trials.
A trial for the hazing incidents is Feb. 29, while the trial on the other charges is March 7.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com
Recent comments
Agreed. The trial isn't for hazing. The trial is for sodomy and for...
Uncle Ernie Woo | Feb. 15, 2008 at 5:29 p.m.
Why do you continue to insist on calling this "hazing"? Just because...
Dirk | Feb. 15, 2008 at 12:28 p.m.
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