Senator's son admits 'rectal brooming'

Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 04.04.2006
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PHOENIX — The son of state Senate President Ken Bennett admitted in court Monday to assaulting middle school boys with a broomstick in their rectal areas, but a judge allowed charges against him to be reduced from 18 to one, and he may avoid jail.
Three of the 18 victims, all boys between the ages of 11 and 15, are from Tucson, and the families are angry that 18-year-old Clifton Bennett and co-defendant Kyle Wheeler, 19, were not charged with sexual assault.
Also, the families said Bennett is being treated favorably by the court system because of his father's position in the Legislature. Bennett's plea would allow the court to classify the aggravated-assault conviction as a misdemeanor, which means he could go on to become a teacher or counselor and would never have to disclose the so-called "brooming" incident.
Bennett and Wheeler pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in court Monday. Bennett pleaded to one count and Wheeler to two.
"I think he got a sweetheart deal," said the father of one of the three Tucson victims, a 12-year-old boy who attends a local Catholic school. "I'd like him to get a year in prison. The victims should have been heard from before the plea was agreed to. If this was 18 girls who were victims, it would have been sexual assault."
Ken Bennett and his family would not comment Monday. The senator and his wife were in court throughout Monday's hearing.
Bennett and Wheeler are scheduled to be sentenced on May 12 in either Phoenix or Prescott. Monday's hearing took place in Phoenix before Judge Thomas W. O'Toole in Maricopa County Superior Court. O'Toole took the case after two Yavapai County judges recused themselves.
The maximum term for each aggravated-assault count is two years in prison, but probation also is possible.
Police reports say the assaults took place at Chapel Rock Camp in Prescott during a weeklong camp for school leaders in June. Witnesses told police that the junior counselors lined up the youngsters, told them to bend over and "broomsticked" them. The boys told police "broomsticking" was done alternately with a broom, a cane, a mop handle and a heavy-duty flashlight while they were clothed.
"If these were two kids from South Tucson without money or connections, they would never have been offered this deal," said Lynne M. Cadigan, a Tucson attorney who is representing two of the families.
Stephen Carrigan, a Houston lawyer representing another 12-year-old victim, said it was unfair to his client to consolidate the charges from 18 to one.
Bennett read a statement to the court in which he admitted the brooming and said he did it with the intention of insulting them through humiliation.
"I know I personally broomed a number of the campers. I know I personally restrained a number of the campers. I now know this was an assault under the law," Bennett said. " 'Brooming' was the name given for the practice of poking a camper, while clothed, in the area of the butt. A broom handle, a cane and a flashlight handle were the objects used. I know all of the campers were broomed at least once."
● Contact Stephanie Innes at 573-4134 or at [email protected].

He'll be a repeat offender in less than a year.

Makes me wonder what his Daddy is like.

He needs to do prison time. I don't care whose son he is.

If anything the kid should get MORE years for being a senators son.

counselors lined up the youngsters, told them to bend over and "broomsticked" them. The boys told police "broomsticking" was done alternately with a broom, a cane, a mop handle and a heavy-duty flashlight while they were clothed.

That's different

Quoted: He'll be a repeat offender in less than a year. Makes me wonder what his Daddy is like.

He better be wondering what those boys' daddies are like, unless he leaves for Tibet on the next plane.

Quoted: So the 18 year old counselors had the kids bend over and poked them in the ass, with their pants on, with a broomstick or flashlight? The title made it sound a little more ominous. Not that it's not bizarre as is.

I must confess that I clicked on the thread because, not realizing that it involved an actual broom, it sounded like something I might like to try out on the Mrs.

Can anyone say Kancho?


ByteTheBullet  (-:

They were clothed.  It's not sexual assault, it's hazing.  Doesn't make it right, but let's not condemn the kid as a future child molester just yet.

he needs a spot reserved on the sex offender registry website.



he's 18, you could tell him it's just like Myspace

Quoted: counselors lined up the youngsters, told them to bend over and "broomsticked" them. The boys told police "broomsticking" was done alternately with a broom, a cane, a mop handle and a heavy-duty flashlight while they were clothed. That's different

I saw that too. Not sure if there was any actual penetration, but if the parents were pushing for a sex charge, there must have been.

Quoted: Apple doesn't usually fall far from the tree......

My exact thought.

Good thing the kid wasn't a soldier guarding murdering terrorists in Al Grabass Prison in Iraq. The liberal media would call this hazing at a summercamp.."Torture"....and war crimes etc.    

I don't think that was sexual assault. I don't think he deserves time in prison for that. How pathetic that poking someone with a broom now means they have to go to prison. Of course they should get in trouble but not from the law from what I can tell of this.

What the Hell is wrong with people!?

one question remains..

when he fully 'emerges'.. will he be a gimper or a gimpee...

Quoted: They were clothed.  It's not sexual assault, it's hazing.  Doesn't make it right, but let's not condemn the kid as a future child molester just yet.

+1

WTF is it with anal fixation???? POO comes outta there people...POOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Quoted: They were clothed.  It's not sexual assault, it's hazing.  Doesn't make it right, but let's not condemn the kid as a future child molester just yet.

 So, if someone was to slide up next to your Wife/GF and grap her chest, you would not have a problem with it? I mean, she is 'clothed', right? That would not be sexual assault, right????  
   If that kid was just sweeping the floor and accidentally poked the other kid in the butt, no problem. But, line them up and make them bend over and poke them, with the intent to ‘humiliate’ them and you have ‘sexual assault’, no question about it.

IBTL, this is going to become stupid.

Quoted: WTF is it with anal fixation???? POO comes outta there people...POOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

- My thoughts exactly.  Never understood the attraction.

Quoted: Quoted: They were clothed.  It's not sexual assault, it's hazing.  Doesn't make it right, but let's not condemn the kid as a future child molester just yet.  So, if someone was to slide up next to your Wife/GF and grap her chest, you would not have a problem with it? I mean, she is 'clothed', right? That would not be sexual assault, right????

Congratulations on your successful mixing of apples and oranges.  Makes for a lovely fruit salad, but alas, not a very coherent addition to the discussion.

And no, actually, it wouldn't be a sexual assault.  It would be a battery, or maybe sexual battery.  Assault usually requires penetration, although that obviously varies by jurisdiction.

ETA:  And reading comprehension is key.  Note my original post, where I say "doesn't make it right".  Which makes your comment that I "wouldn't have a problem with that" rather silly, since I don't think what the kid did was right.  It's just not sexual assault.  

That is exactly the behavior  you learn  from watching MTV

Quoted: one question remains.. when he fully 'emerges'.. will he be a gimper or a gimpee...

I believe the correct term is "Gimp Master"...

Whoah, look what I just found!