NJ football team hazing suspects to be tried as juveniles: Report

In a announcement released Monday evening, a New Jersey county prosecutor confirmed that the seven juvenile defendants charged in connection to the highly-publicized sexual hazing allegations which led to the cancellation of a high school football teams' remaining season will not be tried as adults.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Andrew Clay said the seven Sayreville War Memorial High School football players will remain in Family Court and be tried as juveniles, reported NJ.com.

“The conduct in which the juvenile defendants engaged was serious and that is why criminal charges were filed,” Carey said. “The appropriate forum for the resolution of these cases is Middlesex County Family Court. Asking the court to waive these seven juvenile cases to adult court would not best serve the interests of the victims, the community, or the defendants."

The announcement confirms earlier reports that the prosecutor's office would not seek to bump the defendants' cases up to adult court where they could have faced more serious penalties such as prison time.

Pamela Brause, an attorney for one of the seven unnamed defendants, says Carey's decision was the right one. "I believe the prosecutor carefully weighed the facts, assessed the statutes and made the proper decision," she said.

Attorney Richard Klein, who represents another of the defendants, had similar thoughts. "Given the circumstances of the case, with both the defendants and alleged victims being juveniles, we feel that this was the right decision," he said.

Investigators said that between September 19, 2014 and September 29, 2014, one or more of the juvenile defendants allegedly either held the victims against their will, while other juvenile defendants improperly touched the juvenile victims in a sexual manner.

The allegations eventually led to cancellation of the remaining games and the suspension of five members of the Sayreville High football coaching staff, including head coach George Najjar.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the seven teens charged in the case are all between the ages of 15 and 17. Their identities are being withheld because of their ages.

Three of the juvenile defendants are charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal restraint, and hazing for engaging in an act of sexual penetration upon one of the juvenile victims.

With the threat of a waiver to adult court lifted, the defendants could face lesser penalties, even if they're found guilty. They may even be spared any detention time.

But according to Laura Cohen, director of the Criminal and Youth Justice Clinic at the Rutgers School of Law, juvenile defendants in New Jersey are subject to significant penalties even when tried in juvenile court.

Another high school cancels football season amid sexual hazing and 'waterboarding' allegations: Report

A second high school has cancelled its football season after freshman players were allegedly forced to sexually assault each other in humiliating hazing rites, according to officials from the Pennsylvania school district.

The final two football games at Central Bucks High School West near Philadelphia, were cancelled after it emerged that players allegedly engaged in pre-season hazing rituals such "waterboarding"at the school. The allegations were first reported on Oct. 14.

Superintendent David Weitzel said rookies were required to grab another player's genitals while fully clothed, an initiation that was carried out in front of most team members.

This comes just weeks after criminal charges were lodged against seven players at Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey, over allegations of sexual hazings. Five coaches were also suspended.

In a letter to the school district, Weitzel said: "Our inquiry determined that students new to the team were expected to participate in several initiations that were both humiliating and inappropriate.

"I want to be clear that these activities did not result in physical harm, but were not harmless."

James Donnelly, chief of the Central Bucks Regional Police Department, said he had been notified about allegations of "waterboarding" at the school.

Principal Jason Bucher alerted police that young players had been placed under the shower with towels over their heads, but Donnelly said it was not the waterboarding torture as he understood it.

"The letter was pretty damning and contains some pretty scary information," said Donnelly.

"We don't know if it was just kids horsing around or if it was more serious, but we're going to investigate."

All varsity and junior varsity coaches at Central Bucks have been suspended pending further investigation, said Superintendent Weitzel.

Police said they would investigate whether any of the activity was criminal and whether staff failed to properly supervise team activities. 

For years the school had one of the most successful football programs in the country, including a run of four state titles in the 1990s, when it regularly appeared in national Top 10 rankings.

Its alumni include Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine Jr. and two of his assistants at the one-time football power.

Hazing arrests may push New Jersey high school towards permanantly eliminating football: Report

After the arrest of seven football players for their brutal hazing abuse on freshman members of the team, the scandalized New Jersey high school is discussing the possibility of eliminating the sport permanently from its athletic program.

Sayreville War Memorial High School football has already cancelled the rest of this season.

The disturbing — and highly-publicized — reports of alleged attacks of a sexual nature in the locker room has divided the working class town into two sides — and now Sayreville Schools Superintendent Richard Labbe claims there is a possibility that the sport could be scrapped forever, reported NJ.com.

"I will say clearly: Whether we have a football program moving forward is certainly a question in my mind," Labbe said at a rally calling for schools to do more to tackle bullying and assault. "Based upon the severity of the charges, I'm not sure. I have to look at the results of the investigation. I have to await more information from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office."

The seven students, 15 to 17 years-old,  have been charged with sex crimes after allegedly pinning down new players, penetrating them with a finger, then sticking it in the boys' mouths. 

Over the weekend, Labbe revealed information gathered by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Officer suggests harassment, intimidation and bullying may have taken place before this year in the Bombers' locker room.

"The prosecutor said it was pervasive and led me to believe that it's more than one year," Labbe said. "To the extent of that, I'm not sure. I'm confident that it was more than one year. How many more years? I'm not sure."

The new details of the abuse has forced the school officials to consider the future of the powerhouse team, the coach and the principal.

The description of the attacks, which are alleged to have taken place almost every day from September 19 to 29, was given by an unnamed parent of a football player on Saturday.

It came as the coach of the team, George Najjar, refused to answer questions about whether he would resign. He said: "There will be a time and place when I have something to say, but now is not the time."

Three were charged with aggravated sexual assault, criminal restraint, hazing and other crimes for an act of sexual penetration upon one of the children.

The four other students were charged with aggravated criminal sexual contact and other crimes.

Those in custody were awaiting a Family Court decision on whether they would be held at a juvenile detention facility or be released to their families. Their names weren't released because of their ages.

Labbe said that if he decides to suspend the program, he has not thought about how long any suspension may last. He will wait until the prosecutor's office has finished its investigation before making a decision, he said.

Seven players charged with sexual assault in New Jersey high school football hazing: Report

Seven players from a New Jersey football team have been charged with sex crimes in connection with a series of assaults stemming from an investigation into hazing by team members. The alleged attacks of a sexual nature have already led to the cancellation of the rest of the school's football season.

Six of the seven Sayreville War Memorial High School players, ranging in age from 15 to 17, were arrested Friday night, and the seventh was being sought, police and prosecutors said.

The scandal has rocked and divided the working class town in central New Jersey.

Three of the players were charged with aggravated sexual assault, criminal restraint, hazing and other crimes for an act of sexual penetration upon one of the children, Middlesex County prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said. The four other students were charged with aggravated criminal sexual contact and other crimes, reported NJ.com.

The group is charged with attacking four other members of the regional football power, on four separate occasions between Sept. 19 and Sept. 29, authorities said. Their investigation found that the students held other teens against their will and improperly touched them in a sexual manner. 

One of the victims was kicked during an attack, police said.

The seven teenagers charged in the hazing scandal — their identities withheld because of their ages —are to appear before a Superior Court judge who oversees criminal cases involving juvenile defendants who are under the age of 18.

Teenagers who are tried and found guilty of charges under the state’s juvenile delinquency statutes face lesser penalties than an adult. In fact, juveniles who remain in juvenile court don’t go to prison, but are incarcerated at juvenile justice facilities or detention centers in the state. They may even be spared any detention time.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, however, could ask a judge to “waive” them to adult  —criminal court where the juveniles would be charged and tried as adults.

According to NJ.com, there are significant sentencing differences in juvenile versus adult court:

• Aggravated sexual assault: Under juvenile delinquency code carries no more than five years incarceration, but the first degree crime carries up to 20 years in prison if convicted in adult court.

• Aggravated assault: Under juvenile delinquency code carries 60 days to a year, but if it is a second degree crime in adult court it can carry up to 10 years in prison.

• Criminal restraint and aggravated criminal sexual contact: Under juvenile delinquency code carry no more than 60 days incarceration, but as third degree crime in adult court carry sentences of 3 to 5 years in prison.

• Hazing and riot are fourth degree crimes that presume no incarceration for juveniles but could result in up to 16 months in prison for adults.

The juveniles would also have criminal records if convicted of the crimes in adult court and could be registered as sex offenders under Megan’s Law.

No court dates have been scheduled, according to the prosecutor’s office.