A juvenile court will hear the cases of the seven players arrested in at Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey. All the players are 17 or younger and are facing charges, including hazing, conspiracy and sexual contact after a month-long investigation.
The juvenile court hearings will be heard in family court, which is closed to the public. Court complaints against juveniles aren’t public records and can’t be released. There is also more of leeway in sentencing in a juvenile court.
According to a NBC report, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said in a statement that, “the conduct in which the juvenile defendants engaged was serious and that is why criminal charges were filed. Asking the court to waive these seven juvenile cases to adult court would not best serve the interests of the victims, the community or the defendants.”
Originally, three of the players were charged with aggravated sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years as a first degree assault charge. All seven of the players are remaining on house arrest, while suspensions to head coach George Najjar and his coaching staff. As tenured teachers, Najjar and four of assistants were suspended with pay.
