SOUTHWICK, Mass. (WWLP) – On Thursday, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced that six juveniles have been criminally charged after he investigated racist bullying in Southwick. 22News spoke with a criminal defense lawyer about this case and he says that some of the students can face jail time but it all depends on if the case stays in juvenile court.
“I believe that these children are in serious trouble,” said Alex Schwartz, a criminal defense attorney for Alexander H. Schwartz Attorney At Law.
Schwartz believes that if this case stays in juvenile court and these juveniles are found delinquent, they could face a wide range of consequences.
“Their punishment can range from a nonjudicial disposition, in other words supervision through probation offices, all the way through incarceration,” said Schwartz.
The juveniles are facing charges that range from interference with civil rights, which is a felony, to threat to commit a crime, and witness interference.
“Massachusetts law prohibits people from interfering with the exercise of the right of a citizen and in those cases, the right to be free from discrimination based on race,” said Schwartz.