Bennett's son, fellow counselor get jail time in camp hazing

[NorthernSun]

PRESCOTT (AP) -- A judge on Friday sentenced the son of Arizona Senate President Ken Bennett to 30 days in jail and his fellow counselor to 45 days for a series of hazings at a youth camp near Prescott last June
http://www.azdailysun.com/news/state/

[Boomer]

1. Hazing, eh?

"Clifton Bennett and fellow camp counselor Kyle Wheeler, 19, pleaded guilty to poking young boys in the rear end with broomsticks in a bizarre hazing ritual. Last June, police records show Bennett and Wheeler poked the boys in the rear end with broomsticks, a flashlight and a cane as a punishment or just because they were in a bad mood. The boys wore underwear or swim trucks at the time of the "broomings," records show."

Funny, sounds like sexual assault to me. But what do I know....

[rodeodance]

11. the power of privilege!

[saigon68]

30. ANALLY RAPE a young boy

and then call it a prank.

What the fuck?

[acmavm]

2. Yeah, that's what it was, a series of hazings.

:sarcasm:

[anitar1]

26. Funny, but in the original article, soon after it all happened,

It was not called hazing. I believe sodomy was the word used. the 2 young MEN, had used various implements to invade the anal area. Hazing ?? Money talks.

[jbnow]

3. Don't know what to think.

Wheeler got 15 more days for choking kids to the point of passing out? Oh that's tough.
But the state wasn't asking for much more than what they got. (Still it's hard to believe the judge went even lighter)

Records also show Wheeler choked many of the boys until they passed out as a game.

The Yavapai County Attorney's Office had asked that Bennett be sentenced to 90 days in jail and Wheeler to 180. The office also had asked for 500 hours of community service and probation for both.

In addition to the jail time, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Thomas O'Toole ordered both Bennett and Wheeler to perform 200 hours of community service and spend three years on supervised probation. If they complete all the terms of probation, their crime will be considered a misdemeanor rather than a felony.

If I was a child or a parent involved that wouldn't be enough. So they had pants on, it was clear that some of the boys were still penetrated. And choking isn't that playful.

[xchrom]

6. oh there are a lot of folks on FIRE over this.

and said parents are among them.

there is a huge amount of controversy over the judge's leniency.

[Scairp]

18. It isn't all the judge

The Yavapai county prosecutor has downplayed the whole thing as well. She called it "hazing" and said that it wasn't sexual abuse. It was sexual abuse, and more than that, it was severe child abuse. She is a pathetic excuse for a public servant and should lose her job in the next election. I have family in that county, and we have spent tons of money there, and I am appalled that our family, who have a child, lives there. I emailed her office and said as much, but as is typical with these jerks, got a canned response. If the parents of these kids had choked them and poked them in the bottom with sticks 18 times, they would not only be sitting in state prison, they would have their children taken from them, and these assholes get a few weeks in county lockup? It's not right. Of course, you won't see the likes of someone like O'Falafel, who usually has a fit about anyone getting less than under-the-jail-for-life treatment for harming children, taking up this particular cause, as it involves Repuke kids as the perps.

[MikeNearMcChord]

4. I also hope that the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

also rejected young Bennett's desire for mission service, I wouldn't want this POS representing that group.

[anitar1]

27. The Saints take care of their own. How do you think

polygamy continues to exist? The people all know about it and the polygamists are out and about among the others. And when someone with authority is in legal troubles, they have plenty of friends in high places to accomodate them Another good old boy group.

[Tempest]

5. He should have to register as a sex offender

The assaults were sexual in nature and sex offender laws should apply.

[elehhhhna]

7. 30 days? WTF? DIDN"T HE ANALLY RAPE LIKE A DOZEN PEOPLE?

[faithnotgreed]

8. frig - i saw there was jail time and thought it really meant jail time

unbelievable

[Coventina]

9. No one cares about the rape of young boys while there are illegal

immigrants hiding under the beds.

:eyes:

That's the only story in AZ these days...the immigration issue. It doesn't matter that the son of the AZ senate raped a bunch of little boys.

:puke:

[Auntie Bush]

10. These are the perfect boys that

bush* would want in the future to be wardens for some prison...here or abroad...like Gitmo. Boy would they have fun torturing prisoners!

[rodeodance]

12. and he will only have on record a misdemeannor rather than a felony.

In addition to the jail time, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Thomas O'Toole ordered both Bennett and Wheeler to perform 200 hours of community service and spend three years on supervised probation. If they complete all the terms of probation, their crime will be considered a misdemeanor rather than a felony.

The sentence was handed down after an emotional day of testimony by victims' parents and the families of the defendants.

More than a dozen victims' parents spoke, calling the hazing sexual assault and molestation despite findings by state experts that there was no sexual intent behind the "broomings."

Both sides of the case expressed disappointment with the sentence. Family members and victims called it too lenient and said Bennett got a deal because of his father's position, while Bennett's family said he was treated with more scrutiny because of his father.

[rodeodance]

13. father said his son made an unfortuate decision.

Afterward, Bennett and his father left the courthouse from the back to avoid media attention.

When reporters caught up with them, the elder Bennett said his son had made an unfortunate decision.

[rodeodance]

14. they were counselors in a leadership camp-and they did this!

Clifton Bennett, 18, and fellow counselor Kyle Wheeler, 19, admitted to abusing 18 boys ages 11 to 14 -- who had been hand-picked for a weeklong leadership camp -- by poking them in the rear end with broomsticks, a flashlight and a cane as a punishment or just because they were in a bad mood.

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. Justin Volpe got 30 years for quite similar "hazing"

:eyes:

[stillcool]

16. There should be riots over this....

that judge needs to be relieved of his bench.

[Scairp]

29. Hello?! NOT just the judge!

Try contacting the Yavapai county prosecutor and see how far you get. The lot of them downplayed the whole thing as "hazing" and have given these predatory little shites a slap on the wrist. Corruption must run deep there. I wish our relatives would move away, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[Judi Lynn]

17. It's seriously doubtful this playful "hazying" was all that light-hearted

since reports from the earlier days of the investigation indicated parents of some of the victems say their sons will not sleep with the lights off in their rooms, nor will they take off their street clothes to sleep.

State Senate President Bennett has obviously been trying to make his "power" felt, in every way at his disposal.

[Judi Lynn]

19. Just tried to correct my attempt to spell "hazing," and can't.

It has been over an hour, and I can't get access.

I'm posting a disclaimer here. I KNOW how to spell, but it's very late, and I wasn't paying enough attention. Very embarrassed.

[HuffleClaw]

20. what a sickening outcome

now lets imagine what would have happened had it been some senator's kid being the VICTIM of the sexual assaults instead of the perpetrator...

[dsc]

21. This is a total outrage

First, let me bluntly state had these been girls as victims instead of boys the young men would be doing serious time.

Second, if the young men who did this had been gay they would be doing serious time.

Kudos to Zach for being willing to come forward by name. He has a ton of guts. Too bad all the alledged adults in Arizona let him down.

What was done to these boys was evil and the young men should be in jail for a long time for it. Those boys will forever be distrustful of older boys thanks to them. Where, oh where is O'Reily when you really need him?

[Joe Chi Minh]

22. Where is Burt Reynolds when you need him? He's been AWOL

with that crossbow of his all this time!

[dsc]

25. lol

I loved deliverence.

[LostinVA]

23. Wow -- gosh, what a harsh sentence for raping young kids

At least the poor boy can go on his LDS Mission with a clear conscince...

[msu2ba]

24. I can hardly wait for Monday.

I'm sure Dil dO'Reilly will be up in arms and calling for the removal of this judge because he looks out for all the little children.
:sarcasm:

Yeah, right!

[Spirochete]

28. Are they at least going to have to do their time

in that asshole Arpaio's jail system? Stupid question, I suppose.