Patterico's Pontifications

11/26/2008

Cheerleaders Arraigned for Hazing

Filed under: Crime — DRJ @ 12:46 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Texas seems to have a monopoly on cheerleader stories that result in criminal charges:

“Six former cheerleaders and the former mascot from Katy’s Morton Ranch High School made their first court appearances today on hazing charges based on allegations that they pushed junior varsity cheerleaders, bound and blindfolded, into a swimming pool.”

Earlier reports indicate the charges were filed after a complaint by the parent(s) of one of the JV cheerleaders. Two defense counsel apparently concede the incident occurred but argue it happened because of poor judgment by good, sweet kids:

“None of the girls or their parents commented afterward, but attorneys for two of the girls said their clients are caught in a tough situation and have the full support of their families.

“Do teens sometimes use bad judgment?” asked defense attorney Robert Fickman, who represents Garner, the varsity squad’s former mascot. “Sure they do. We all did. But sometimes bad judgment does not equate to a crime.

“This is probably a case where teenagers used poor judgment. There’s no evidence anyone was harmed or endangered,” Fickman said outside the courtroom.

Attorney Jed Silverman, who represents Hayley Davis, said his client just wants to get on with her education and her life.

“It’s just very unfortunate for anyone to have to go through this during the holidays,” Silverman said outside the courtroom. “She has a good family behind her 100 percent.”

The school district suspended the high school’s varsity cheerleading activities for the remainder of the school year.

— DRJ

29 Responses to “Cheerleaders Arraigned for Hazing”

  1. I love this blog and hate it when people whine about topics not covered, but I just wanted to note that there are massive terror attacks in India right now.

    I used to live near Katy. Cheerleaders are crazy, but they also have excellent swim teams out there. This was obviously just a swimming drill.

    Juan (4cdfb7)

  2. Juan, have you not looked at The Jury Talks Back?

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  3. Hey daley, I’m waiting for you to tie this post in with Obama and make it his fault.

    Oiram (983921)

  4. Hey, if poor judgment was a crime, 50-some percent of general election voters would be in jail right now.

    [And Oiram thought it would be hard to tie this in with Obama.]

    Icy Truth (b7d162)

  5. Scott, I’m afraid I still haven’t gotten around to it.

    Oops, and my apologies.

    Juan (4cdfb7)

  6. Texas seems to have a monopoly on cheerleader stories that result in criminal charges:

    Perhaps if there were more Academic Knights, and fewer Friday Night Lights,
    these things would happen less?

    Another Drew (67f3cf)

  7. Good one Icy

    Oiram (983921)

  8. Oiram wrote: Hey daley, I’m waiting for you to tie this post in with Obama and make it his fault.

    I’m waiting for you to make it GWB’s fault. After all, it is Texas.

    Another Drew wrote: Perhaps if there were more Academic Knights, and fewer Friday Night Lights, these things would happen less?

    Like hazing doesn’t happen in Ivy League universities. C’mon AD, you know better than that. Quit channeling David Brooks.

    L.N. Smithee (a0b21b)

  9. Scott, I’m afraid I still haven’t gotten around to it.

    Quite alright… But you should make it a habit, as there’s some good stuff being posted over there…

    And I post there too!! 🙂

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  10. They’re saying “no harm, no foul” with this and luckily no one was injured. But where does anyone get the idea that throwing bound people into a swimming pool is not unsafe? Blindfolded people with hands and arms free (if they can swim) and don’t hit their heads on the edge can be *relatively* safe, but bound????

    kimsch (2ce939)

  11. Comment by L.N. Smithee — 11/26/2008 @ 1:37 pm
    Do we know of a murder plot involving a cheerleader Mom in the Ivy’s?

    Another Drew (67f3cf)

  12. Its shocking the defense attorney can say with a straight face that there was no evidence that anyone was endangered. Poor judgement would be pushing someone in a pool. Endangering would be pushing them into a pool without the use of their arms to propel them to the side.

    Poor judgement also is any j.v. cheerleader allowing themself to be bound and blindfolded just to become popular.

    When I think of Texas, I think of football, big hair, and cheerleaders who are simultaneously dumb and vicious.

    Dana (79a78b)

  13. Oiram – It’s Baracky’s fault all his supporters have as thin skin as you evidence. Victimhood, it’s what for dinner!

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  14. Another Drew wrote: Do we know of a murder plot involving a cheerleader Mom in the Ivy’s?

    You’re reaching. The murderous mom has nothing to do with this particular situation. It’s hazing, not murder-for-hire.

    L.N. Smithee (d1de1b)

  15. Comment by L.N. Smithee — 11/26/2008 @ 3:04 pm

    I was commenting along the spirit of the opening sentence of the post:
    Texas seems to have a monopoly on cheerleader stories that result in criminal charges:

    Another Drew (67f3cf)

  16. This is clearly Baracky’s fault.

    JD (5f0e11)

  17. “Its shocking the defense attorney can say with a straight face that there was no evidence that anyone was endangered.”

    Dana – I’ve got no problem with the attorney making that statement at all. The purpose of the stupid stunt is obviously to scare the crap out of the cheerleaders being inducted onto the Varsity Squad. If they are standing around watching as the JV Cheerleaders are thrown in the water, how are people endangered? Scary and stupid, yes, dangerous, no.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  18. Daley,

    because throwing anyone who is bound into a pool endangers them. Especially if they didn’t know to breathe deep and hold their breath before being pushed in. Without the use of their arms, the girls were endangered. I noted this in comment 10.

    kimsch (2ce939)

  19. daley, its dangerous to the one who has been thrown in as kimsch says in #18.

    And while it may been a stupid stunt to scare the incoming cheerleaders, the fact is high school girls are not known for their savvy and will go to extraordinary lengths to fit in and be popular. I don’t believe it was a lesson given by one group to scare another – they would credit the varsity girls with too much thought.

    The need to belong supercedes reasonable thought when one is young.

    Dana (79a78b)

  20. they would credit = that would credit…

    Dana (79a78b)

  21. Don’t these girls deserve at least as much time in prison as the soldiers in Iraq got for the childish ‘hazing’ of prisoners? Hazing is hazing and the same laws should be applied.

    Scrapiron (dda662)

  22. kimsch and Dana – We just see it different ways.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  23. Oh…I read it real fast and thought it said “Katy’s Moron Ranch…”

    Never mind.

    Patricia (ee5c9d)

  24. Now that was funny.

    DRJ (a50047)

  25. I cannot judge as to whether or not the accused should be punished with criminal charges. Perhaps suspension of the cheerleading program for the remainder of the year is a fitting punishment. Actually, assuming that all the relevant information is being reported, it sounds fitting. However, here’s one thing that is conspicuously absent from the news report: accepting responsibility.

    Rich Bordner (ee7317)

  26. […] reports about a hazing incident involving a high school cheerleading squad in Texas.   The incident has resulted in criminal […]

    Around the Blogosphere « The Pugnacious Irishman (8dac4f)

  27. I’m not sure how Texas deserves this kind of publicity, but damned if we don’t get it more often than other states.

    Goodone DRJ – and good to see you too!

    GM Roper (85dcd7)

  28. Is Katy where that mall about 1.5 miles long is?

    JD (e0ab0e)

  29. Yep, it’s poor judgement for sure. They wanted to do something nice to these junior cheerleaders, but poorly judged that they would enjoy being thrown into pool bound and blindfolded.

    AlexD (8c37c8)


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