Police: Country Day hazing not a felony

Kelly Cramer
912.652.0360
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The Country Day High School senior cheerleaders who taught nine unwilling, blindfolded freshmen how to perform oral sex did not commit a felony, according to police and state laws.

The incident was not legally a sexual assault because the five older girls likely derived no sexual gratification nor did they intend for the freshmen to be gratified from sucking on condom-covered bananas, smearing white mashed banana on the younger girls' mouths while they were on their knees or rubbing the fruit on the younger girls' bodies.

Had the girls intended their actions to be sexual, it would have been a felony.

But, neither they, nor the boys they invited to watch, exposed their genitals or touched those of the freshmen, although the girls were told they were feeling penises.

At least one boy moaned just before the older teens rubbed the banana into the girls' faces.

"It is boorish behavior," said former U.S. Attorney Donnie Dixon. "Just disgusting. "But I'm having trouble bringing it into focus on any criminal statute."

The unwelcome touching is at most misdemeanor simple battery, he said.

Georgia's sexual assault laws require a showing of sexual gratification or some sort of sexual intent on the part of the assailant.

Without consulting the district attorney's office, the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department concluded its investigation into the Aug. 4 incident, which took place on the dock down the street from one of the senior girls' homes. Her parents were inside the house, according the detailed, four-page report. One of the names of the seniors was released but none of the names of the victims, nor any parents were released.

No charges will be filed, police spokesman Bucky Burnsed said. None of the nine victims' parents wanted to pursue criminal action. Officers gave the parents information on how to press charges if they change their minds. If they do, Chief Assistant District Attorney David Lock said the case would be reopened.

In the report, Sex Crimes Investigator Sgt. Harry Trawick said: "I respectfully request that the police department defer to the wishes of the nine sets of parents who do not wish to prosecute and close this case by services."

The report quotes Country Day Headmaster Thomas Bonnell saying the victims' parents plan to pursue a civil lawsuit.

Police also cleared Bonnell of any wrongdoing in failing to report the incident to police.

The school's attorney could not be reached for comment due to a family emergency.

www.savannahnow.com/stories/091504/2444268.shtml

Aww hell, high school hazing could be much worse



- BG

"Welcome to the cheerleading squad.
Now suck off these guys..."

Wow. I went to the wrong high school.
How things have changed in the last
ten years...

Quoted: Wasn't there a Monty Python skit about something like this....................

First, you take the bananna! Then you eat the bananna! You have now rendered him helpless!

Knowing the possibilities now, I will be re-watching that skit to teach myself how to defend myself against someone who attacks me with fresh fruit....

Am I to understand that the basic law is that if nobody sexually "Gets Off" on the act, it is not considered a sexual act?

If that is the case, what of this could be applied to Abu Graihb(sp)?

ktm500

Quoted: Quoted: Wasn't there a Monty Python skit about something like this.................... First, you take the bananna! Then you eat the bananna! You have now rendered him helpless! Knowing the possibilities now, I will be re-watching that skit to teach myself how to defend myself against someone who attacks me with fresh fruit....

What if someone attacks you with a pointed stick?

Ithink a pointed stick would hurt, even with a condom.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Wasn't there a Monty Python skit about something like this.................... First, you take the bananna! Then you eat the bananna! You have now rendered him helpless! Knowing the possibilities now, I will be re-watching that skit to teach myself how to defend myself against someone who attacks me with fresh fruit.... What if someone attacks you with a pointed stick?

Pointed sticks? Ho, ho, ho. We want to learn how to defend ourselves against pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well I'll tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me! Now, the passion fruit. When your assailant lunges at you with a passion fruit, thus...

The above article was the hottest thing I have ever read.

- Gazzy!

The sad thing is that it seems to be writtten like that intentionally.

Reason # 9457568 why arowneragian's kids will probably get home-schooled.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Wasn't there a Monty Python skit about something like this.................... First, you take the bananna! Then you eat the bananna! You have now rendered him helpless! Knowing the possibilities now, I will be re-watching that skit to teach myself how to defend myself against someone who attacks me with fresh fruit.... What if someone attacks you with a pointed stick? Pointed sticks? Ho, ho, ho. We want to learn how to defend ourselves against pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well I'll tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me! Now, the passion fruit. When your assailant lunges at you with a passion fruit, thus...

Monty Python RULES!!!

i am sorry but to me it doesnt look like they where unwilling i dont  know to many people who will put on a blind fold if they are unwilling to do something sory to me it just sounds like the parents found out and got mad an the kids changed their story or the school found out and pressured them into saying they where unwilling i cant see someone putting on a blind fold without being willing.

This kind of stuff never happened to me in high school

Did you try out for the chearleading squad?

THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!!!!

Here you go!

LMAO!! Thanks I needed that.

I'm not surprised about the legal opinion. These are kids of some very influential people and the parents don't want their names dragged through the mud any worse than they have been already.  Savannah Country Day is the prep school where all the bluebloods go around here and the tuition is something like $14,000 a year. The 5 senior cheerleaders were expelled. I think 2 of them got into "lower class" private schools and the other 3 ended up in public schools. That hit them where it hurts because their reputations and social staus ended up getting trashed worse than the Escambia Bay bridge. BTW, The juvenile justice system would have just slapped them on the wrist because they were first offenders. At first the school tried to keep it quiet, but the press got wind of it and the story leaked out. The press really poured on the coal because they smelled a coverup in the making.  

I have a pointed stick, a crate of raspberries, AND a whole bunch of banannas.

I am deadly.

Monty Python rules all.

That is all....

I thought this was going to lead to the "banana in the tailpipe" story.

Quoted: Am I to understand that the basic law is that if nobody sexually "Gets Off" on the act, it is not considered a sexual act? If that is the case, what of this could be applied to Abu Graihb(sp)? ktm500

Absoutely nothing considering that Abu Ghraib took place in Iraq, not Georgia.
We bought you something, Billy. It's an anti-banana disguise.

Quoted: I thought this was going to lead to the "banana in the tailpipe" story.

If it did, maybe someone would have been charged.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Wasn't there a Monty Python skit about something like this.................... First, you take the bananna! Then you eat the bananna! You have now rendered him helpless! Knowing the possibilities now, I will be re-watching that skit to teach myself how to defend myself against someone who attacks me with fresh fruit.... What if someone attacks you with a pointed stick? Pointed sticks? Ho, ho, ho. We want to learn how to defend ourselves against pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well I'll tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me! Now, the passion fruit. When your assailant lunges at you with a passion fruit, thus...