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Sharon Chanon Velázquez strikes plea with MA court in Phoebe Prince case

Five of the six accused in the South Hadley bullying case have agreed to plea deals

PATRICK COOPER & CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 8:55 AM

Updated Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 1:50 PM

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Accused 17-year-old Sharon Chanon Velazquez

Sharon Chanon Velázquez (17) has struck a plea deal with the Massachusetts prosecutors in the Phoebe Prince bulling court case. Another four students charged in the suicide case have agreed to submit plea deals to the court.

If Velázquez's agreement is accepted by the judge this would be the first criminal case resolved with relation the 15-year-old County Clare student's suicide.A source close to the teen's plea negotiations told the Associated Press the deals are expected to be presented in court next week, where they must be approved by a judge.

Five of the six defendants have agreed to admit to a misdemeanor as prosecutors agree to drop more serious charges against them in a trade off, it has been reported. The teenagers accused of bullying the Irish-born 15-year-old Prince before she took her own life, will be permitted to admit to less serious crimes of harassment, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

Kayla Narey, Sharon Chanon Velázquez, Ashley Longe, Sean Mulveyhill, and Flannery Mullins, all former students of the Boston high school faced both felony and misdemeanor charges which included civil rights violations causing bodily injury, criminal harassment, and disruption of a school assembly.

Flannery and Velázquez were also facing charges for stalking the County Clare teenager.

Mulveyhill was charged with statutory rape, however sources say these charges will be dropped as part of the agreement.

Velázquez’s attorney Colin Keefe refused to comment directly on the rumors surrounding the upcoming deposition.

“I am confident that the public opinion about my client will drastically change at the appropriate time when the true facts are revealed,’’ he told the Boston Globe.

Students of South Hadley High School said that 15-year-old Irish girl Phoebe Prince was subject to repeated bullying and was "chased around the perimeter of the school" while teachers did nothing shortly before she took her own life.

Some pupils who knew Prince well told the Boston Herald that she was chased by a group of bullies who weren't happy with the fact that Phoebe had a date with a senior football player.

On the day she committed suicide by hanging herself, a soda can was thrown at her out of a passing car.

The students also elaborated on the forms of bullying Prince underwent, including online harassment and text messages, before she hung herself in her home in South Hadley last month.

Prince, from Co. Clare but living in South Hadley, Massachusetts since September 2009 with her family, took her own life after a tirade of verbal and cyber bullying.
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vegemite57 | May 01, 2011, 04:18 AM EDT

They do not deserve to get a plea bargain oh my god what is the world coming to these people bullied her to the point that she committed suicide how can they get a plea bRGin, I just don't understand. How will these girls and guy feel if down the track they have children and the parents of these children have grand children how are they going to feel if there children are bullied and bullied to the point that they committ suicide. You know what; what goes around comes around, they need to watch it. That mother saying my daughterslife i hell well look what she did what does she expect at least her daughter is a live Pheobe IS NOT,she does not get any sympathy from me for what her daughter has done.

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vegemite57 | Apr 29, 2011, 09:42 AM EDT

One mother says her dagughters life is hell, well what about Pheobe she is not alive and what about what they put her through they are still here and will eventually get on with their lives (lets hope no one does this to there childre) Pheobe is not here to get on with hers and perhaps one day marry and have childre, they should suffer for the rest of their lives in JAIL.

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kaydog1 | Apr 28, 2011, 05:39 PM EDT

So this is Boston JUSTICE, is it? No Felony charges, no Rape charges, we just pat these Animals on the wrist ("they are suffering enough" - quixotic) and release them back into the general society where they can take up where they left off? How about the FILTH who wrote "accomplished" on Phoebe Prince's Facebook page the day they finally pushed her to suicide, do we think that is a sign of remorse now? This is pathetic! If the Boston DA and the Judge in the case are prepared to sell out this poor girl so easily, where is the Irish Gov't? Are they SO busy sucking up to Obama at Moneygall they haven't the time to raise a word of PROTEST? Either they stand up for their own, or they don't! Either they speak out for JUSTICE or they condemn themselves the same as the sellout DA and "Judge" who are busily looking to bury this case into obscurity just as soon as they can. I call on the Catholic Church and the Irish Gov't to at LEAST raise a word in protest, otherwise, what are they good for other than just taking our money. I'm waiting, and watching.

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thomasbyrne | Apr 27, 2011, 09:26 PM EDT

omg how sad

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islenita | Apr 27, 2011, 08:03 PM EDT

Although a necessary evil, This is exactly why I hate plea bargains!!!!

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Searlit | Apr 27, 2011, 07:33 PM EDT

@ bunkerhill, I'm glad you survived. Bullies always gang up on an individual, or someone who is a few years younger or much smaller than them. That is their MO. It is cowardice! The courts are protecting cowards!

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quixotic | Apr 27, 2011, 07:02 PM EDT

None of the people here commenting have any idea of what they are talking about. Bullying is a very serious situation with horrible consequences for the bullied. However, having worked in high schools for a long time, it is not an easy task. We need to teach our children the simple elements of empathy -- the ability to see others the way they see themselves and the world. It takes education. This is going one everywhere, right now in every school in your community. What are you doing about it? Take care of your own backyards. Girls, in particular, are more involved as victims and perpetrators. Dating a popular boy who is considered out of her element (much older, etc.) is common and is evident now as prom time is arriving. Do something about it. There are a lot of Phoebe's out there. What these kids (while I think it is horrible) is no different that what so many other kids are doing TODAY! To kill them because Phoebe (probably beyond their knowing) had more than she could handle. In short, what they did they did not think was all that horrible (as it is all around them and among adults as well -- check it out at shopping malls, bars, little league games, etc.) In summary, this is a very serious issue in schools today and must be addressed. However, you must take into account the 'intent' of the actors. Do you think they wanted to murder the girl? They are suffering enough. Now, if it is true that the adults in the school knew about it and did not intervene as is their responsibility -- crucify them.

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fburke46 | Apr 27, 2011, 05:03 PM EDT

Justice is not being served by offering this plea bargain.

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fhwrath | Apr 27, 2011, 01:01 PM EDT

Disgusting, integrity lacking, corrupt, slimy, legal midgets with filty, blood-dripping hands, selling out the soul of Miss Phoebe Prince for their cursed 30 pieces of silver. The prosecutor and his spineless, nasty pig defendent lawyers, laying with each other in their mudhole, should sue their own parents for failure to raise them with even an ounce of what makes a good person. Letting these little monsters, with their hollow eyes, smug mugs, bereft of conscience, plea this down to no more than a slap on the wrist for their torture of an innocent child makes Christ lower His head and sob. All involved will be visited by terror and nightmares prior to their eventual eternal home in hell. America hates you. May your children receive the same treatment that Phoebe received when you are not around.

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bunkerhill | Apr 27, 2011, 12:45 PM EDT

I agree with everyone else that letting these stupid bullies off is shameful. They will live another day to continue their bullying of others. I also agree with the commentator who said bullies are cowards who when confronted with run away. They only pick on those they think are vulnerable. One thing to reiterate to every despondent person or child is - Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This came from a young person who attempted suicide and lived. Our world has been run by bullies from time immemorial and they are still running it. However remember the message that offers so much hope - "The meek shall inherit the earch." My heart goes out to beautiful Phoebe and her dear parents.

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Schenck2 | Apr 27, 2011, 12:02 PM EDT

My father thought there must have been a reason that I was being bullied, brought it on myself. I was just trying to survive and deal with the mess. No one fought for me. 40 years, hope they're not still the same smucks. Wonder what it will take for each to improve their life? Pray that happens.

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colkelley | Apr 27, 2011, 11:47 AM EDT

This is the reason why my father charged me to hunt down and confront bullies. A bully is a coward who will usually back down if confronted, but even if they do choose to fight once they are throughly beaten down they never bully again. Both of my sons were raised with the same obligation and both followed through wonderfully. This "observer" society in which people witness bullying and violent crimes against others without involvement or even compassion is the problem. Victimize someone in any way in front of me or my sons and you will pay a terrible price.

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IrishCanuck | Apr 27, 2011, 11:33 AM EDT

The do gooders win again, and the victum loses. The little bastards needed to be jailed, and horse whipped for what they have done, not coddled and told not to do it again. The kids nowadays have no conscenquence in there lives they are coddled and spoiled at home and can do no wrong in the eyes of their parents and society. It is time to bring back corporal punishment at home and the schools. This is a sad and frustrating day for the Prince family and in fact for the whole world that these little cretains are getting away with this with a slap on the wrist.

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Searlit | Apr 27, 2011, 11:32 AM EDT

Shame on the courts for allowing this!

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JessicaD | Apr 27, 2011, 11:03 AM EDT

This is horrible! If these teenagers involved don't get stiff punishment they will never change. They are already acting like they could care less and what they did to that girl disgusts me! Very sad:(

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