A Massachusetts judge has ruled that journalist Emily Bazelon, the Connecticut based reporter who wrote a controversial article in Slate in 2010 which appeared to suggest that peer antagonism toward young suicide victim Phoebe Prince may have had some justification, has won a ruling from a Hampshire Superior Court judge ordering the town of South Hadley to release the terms of a private settlement with the Prince family.
Judge Mary-Lou Rup granted public access to the details of the settlement and soon after, the Boston Globe reported that the family received $225,000 from Prince’s school district, according to a copy of the settlement.
Phoebe's parents, Anne O’Brien and Jeremy Prince, both claimed that the town and some town officials failed in their duty to protect Phoebe against sexual harassment at South Hadley High School.
_____________
Read More:
Phoebe Prince’s suicide attempt doesn’t let her tormentors off the hook
Mother of girl charged in Phoebe Prince death says life is hell for daughter
Shock claim that Phoebe Prince was a bully in Ireland
______________
Prince, 15, hanged herself in January 2010 after a period of intense bullying and harassment by some of her classmates. Six South Hadley High School students were subsequently charged in connection with their treatment of Prince but none was sentenced to jail time.
Bazelon told the press on Friday that she was pleased by the decision to publish details of the settlement.
'I think it was right on the law and I look forward to publishing the settlement as soon as I get it,' she said.
Bazelon's critics claim she has re-victimized Prince after her death by writing an article that appeared to suggest she was an unstable boyfriend stealer, and in some ways the author of her own misfortunes. That characterization diminishes the culpability of the teens who bullied her and it makes Bazelon an apologist for their behavior, critics claim.
6 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Penny55 | Dec 29, 2011, 10:06 PM EST
Are you still be lonely? Do you want someone to companion with you. My- friends told me a nice place ------ 'Millionairesocial.C-O-M There are so many beautiful /successful people!,young girls / rich men. to- int'eract with each other., "everything to everyone"dating \.marry .even, a nice club for y'ounger women and old'er men, or older women and y'ounger men, and Age is no problem. everything is possible!You do not have to be rich or famous
merefalow | Dec 29, 2011, 07:46 PM EST
bullying is an intense evil,every effort by those in positions of authority and with the power to prevent it and punish it at whatever level it is found. have a duty to severely punish and show zero toleration wherever it occurs.it destroys people.
borefield | Dec 29, 2011, 12:17 AM EST
I can't make up my mind if journalists or politians are the slime of society. This so called journalist is really the worst example of SLIME!!
proudirishlass | Dec 28, 2011, 12:49 PM EST
What is the matter with Ms Bazelon. Why does she have a vendetta with this family. In my opinion they should have been given millions. The school system took the bullying too lightly and suicide was the end result.Everyone involved should be held accountable and that includes the school district. If the claim that she STOLE boyfriends is true.Well whoop de doo. It is not unusual at that age for teens to have crushes on other teens boyfriends. It takes two to tango and obviously those boys were willing to abandon their girlfriends for her.She had rights but her school mates did not have the right to torment and bully her. Her rights were not protected by the school no matter how many requests were made by her parents.
Murph46 | Dec 28, 2011, 11:03 AM EST
What part of SECRET agreement do American judges (Boston College IRA Tapes)not get?
Murph46 | Dec 28, 2011, 10:12 AM EST
Just what will this serve?