Boys will be boys, they say. Somehow I don’t think that defense is going to work in the favor of four 15-year-old Maryland boys accused of sexual assault.
The four junior varsity athletes accused, namely Jean Claude “JC” Abedi, Kristian “KJ” Jamal Lee, Will Daniel Smith, and Caleb Thorpe, will be tried as adults; three are charged with two counts of first-degree rape and two counts of attempted rape, while the fourth is charged with four counts of first-degree rape. The incidents in question apparently took place within the freshman locker room of Damascus High School in Damascus, Maryland, on Halloween of this year. The students were apparently readying for football practice when someone turned off the lights, and the assaults took place. The students stopped when they were alerted of their coach’s approach.
They’re excuse? “It’s tradition.” Well, so’s jailtime for assaulting people.
Besides eyewitness testimony, the suspects also engaged in conversation about the incident on Snapchat. Because apparently the old adage about dumb jocks rings true.
Damascus High School was established in 1950 and is part of the Montgomery County Public School System. It serves approximately 1200 students within grades 9 through 12. It ranks in the top 5% of Maryland schools in overall test scores. Minority enrollment at Damascus High is 39%, which is nearly half that of Maryland’s average. Their website neglects to mention anything regarding the assaults on school property. Today’s announcements made sure to include volunteer opportunities, SAT prep information, and details about school performances. You know: the important stuff.
The accused students face up to life in prison if convicted.
Maryland high school football players accused of raping teammates with broom
High school football players face life in prison for raping teammates with broom
Where Your Children Are 