Sexual Harassment Charges Dropped Against 13-Year-Olds

An Oregon judge has dismissed sexual harassment charges against 13-year-olds Cory Mashburn and Ryan Cornelison in a trial that was expected to last a week. They were accused in February of slapping four female classmates on the rear and poking or cupping the girls' breasts. The charges received widespread media attention because at the time the two boys faced prison time and registry as sex offenders.

Mashburn and Cornelison were arrested in late February and have been dealing with the aftermath of the arrest since. While they may have received widespread public support, the criminal charges still caused the two to be suspended from school and to go through psychosexual evaluations.

The boys were originally charged with felony sex abuse, which would have required lifetime registration as sex offenders. Later, this charge was reduced to misdemeanor sex abuse and ultimately dismissed by the judge in early August. The sexual harassment charges, however, were not dropped until August 20, even after attempts by the defense to have them dismissed on grounds that the prosecution had failed to turn over a police report relevant to the case. Collins refused to dismiss the charges because of the prosecution's oversight.

Yamhill County Judge John Collins reached his final decision after negotiations between the prosecution and defense teams, and after discussions with the four girls considered victims by the prosecution. The girls supported the dismissal, along with many critics who found the charges to be too harsh to match the alleged crimes. Apparently, Judge Collins agreed, saying that his decision was in the "interest of justice" (as quoted in The Oregonian).

The boys both apologized in court, and will receive minor penalties. According to an AP report in the International Herald Tribune, they will have to pay each girl $250 and enroll in a "boundaries education" program. The case raises questions about the extent to which students should be punished for bad behavior in school, and which offenses merit criminal prosecution. If anything good can come of the incident, it should at least serve as a "boundaries education" lesson to parents of adolescents on teaching their children to respect the personal space of others.

The prosecution and defense teams have refused to comment on the details of the settlement for confidentiality reasons. While all of the facts of the settlement will remain unclear, it is highly likely that only the defendants' relief can match the prosecution's embarrassment as a result of this case.

Sources:

International Herald Tribune, "Judge dismisses controversial criminal sexual harassment charges against 2 teens", Associated Press

Susan Goldsmith, "Judge orders harassment trial for 2 boys", The Oregonian