Significant announcement in Phoebe Prince case

Boston Herald

Significant’ announcement in Phoebe Prince case
Town on edge as DA set to speak today

By Edward Mason & Jessica Van Sack
Monday, March 29, 2010

The emotionally shaken small town of South Hadley is anxiously hoping for justice for Phoebe Prince today, as the district attorney is expected to reveal the results of her criminal investigation nearly 11 weeks after the young Irish girl allegedly hanged herself in response to merciless bullying.

“There needs to be some punishment for those kids (who bullied Prince). They need to be held accountable,” said Jeannine O’Brien, a South Hadley mom. “If nothing is done, nothing will change.”

Prince, 15, was reportedly found hanged Jan. 14 after allegedly enduring weeks of torment from bullies on Facebook and in the halls of South Hadley High School.

This morning, Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel is expected to announce the results of her probe into the death of Prince, said Elizabeth Dunphy Farris, an assistant district attorney, raising expectations in a town on edge.

“Everybody in town has been focused on this,” said Robert G. Judge, a South Hadley selectman who is also on the town’s anti-bullying task force. “And everybody knows about the anxiety of parents of students and teachers in the schools. Frankly, the stress upon students themselves has been in some ways as great.”

Many hope Scheibel’s announcement today will get the town moving toward closure after dealing with the horrific tragedy that brought with it unwanted international scrutiny.

“Everybody is crying out for justice and resolution,” said Mitch Brouillard, a South Hadley parent.

Scheibel did not return calls for comment, but the languid pace of her probe - coupled with a secretive school investigation in which the bullies were never identified or their punishment disclosed - has stirred worries no one would be held accountable in the young girl’s death.

“I pray there’s justice for Phoebe Prince,” said Donna Tower of South Hadley. “But there’s a great deal of frustration among the people in South Hadley. A lot of people - including teenagers - think nothing is going to happen.”

Prince’s death has drawn the media spotlight on the scourge of bullying, and how targets are relentlessly pursued on the Internet. It also stirred Beacon Hill lawmakers to move on long-stalled anti-bullying legislation. An anti-bullying bill is close to reaching Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk.

Judge said he hopes something positive will come from Prince’s tragic death.

“I hope the community is looking at this tragedy as an opportunity from which we can learn and pull together more closely as a town,” he said. “I hope that will happen.”
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Marie Szaniszlo contributed to this report.