Alleged Upper Darby bullies denied release, judge boots media from court
The seven Upper Darby boys, ages 13 to 17, arrested Monday for a videotaped bullying incident that made national headlines, will remain incarcerated at the Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center while awaiting their Feb. 10 hearings, a judge ruled today.
Alleged Upper Darby bullies denied release, judge boots media from court
William Bender
The seven Upper Darby boys, ages 13 to 17, arrested Monday for a videotaped bullying incident that made national headlines, will remain incarcerated at the Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center while awaiting their next hearing on Feb. 10, a judge ruled today.
Judge Mary Alice Brennan, who took the unusual step of denying the press and others access to an open court proceeding, ordered that the teens undergo a psychological evaluation and risk assessment, according to Public Defender David DiPasqua. The Delaware County District Attorney's Office objected to having today's hearing closed, saying that it is an open proceeding under state law.
The seven teens, who attend the Opportunity Center behind Upper Darby High School, are charged with assault, kidnapping and related offenses for the Jan. 11 bullying of 13-year-old Nadin Khoury. He was dragged on the ground and hanged in a tree and by a 7-foot-tall spiked fence post. It was videotaped on a cell phone.
Brennan, a former district judge in Upper Darby, has previously served as special counsel for the Upper Darby School District.
Today's hearing was conducted by videoconference because the teens are at the detention center in Lima. Before the news media was removed from the courtroom, a 14-year-old defendant said into the camera: "If you see my mother, can you tell her I love her?"
The boy's attorney, Geoffrey Seay, said outside the courtroom that he hopes his client will be released to his mother and grandmother after next week's hearing. He had asked that he be released today.
"I don't know that they can make out all those charges," Seay said, adding: "At this point, I've seen as much video as everybody else and all I see is blurs, so I can't say what, if anything, my client may have done."
"Certainly, it's repulsive to all of us," Seay said of the video.
Hopefully the young man injured in this will go forward and make the most of his life and put this horrible ordeal behind him. He appears so pleasant and intelligent. I also hope that the seven young men will learn from their mistakes and some day become law abiding adults. These kids have got to stop this thug mentality, they're ruining their own lives.— lostinthebigcity
good!- Seems to me that since this was a preliminary hearing and they're minors, removing the press is fine.— cboath
Comment removed.- NOW the kid cares about his mom? I say let them all free....in about 20 years— TKL008
- Thats how these rats are. They see anything of value, in this case an intelligent nice young man, they want to ruin it. Typical case of trash in the ghetto trying to make sure everyone else stays trash.— Capsulef
- it is not the video that is repulsive. it is the bullies themselves, they are repulsive. and to the kid who used his phone to video the circus; thanks! to the victim; stay strong,grow up to buy and sell the bullies, prosperity and positive thoughts win out.— Miss M.
- I think there going about this all wrong! 5 years in prison is unnecessary. Things like this happen in everyday life is it right no, should it be stopped absolutely. This child was not injured, brutally beaten, or even bruised to my understanding. There are worst things that happen through out the city such as, rapes, robberies, thefts, and more that didn't make front cover but yet this situation has. There are other ways to discipline and penalize these 7 minors such as, several years of community service, probation, and house arrest but, 5 years in prision is way over board. They are minors and I believe they deserve second chances every child, teenager, and adult made bad choices and mistakes at one point in life!
-Dante' Giddings— DanteG17 - Comment removed.
- i agree. what they did was wrong and they definitely need to be punished, five years for bullying is way too much. probation or some time in juvie yes. but they do deserve a second chance if they dont have previous records. as hard as it may be for some people to realize, these are kids. hopefully its not too late for them to turn this negative into a positive(finish school and stay out of trouble)
- They do have priors. Reading is fundamental. — MSTEE
- Comment removed.
- I think its sad how quick we are to through are kids to the wolves as adults and then Question why the children act the way they act.— justmyopioion
- Yes, you are right. It's sad how that kid was thrown to the wolves. Those wolves need to be punished and they are right where they should be right now. — Bob1
