08/12/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
Hadley, MA – The attorneys representing two of the teens charged with the bullying that lead to the suicide of South Hadley High School student Phoebe Prince have asked a Juvenile Court judge to allow them access to her medical records, as reported by Massachusetts Live. The lawyers are seeking access to the records to show that 15-year-old Prince had a prior history of depression and suicidal tendencies.
Six former South Hadley High School students face felony charges in connection with the bullying that prosecutors allege drove Prince to hang herself on January 14. Three of the defendants were indicted as adults by a grand jury in Hampshire Superior Court. The other three were juniors at the school and 17-years-old. They are charged as juveniles in Franklin-Hampshire Juvenile Court. All but one of the defendants are charged with violating Prince’s civil rights. All have pleaded innocent.
The motions to obtain Prince’s records were filed on Monday, August 9. The attorneys representing two juveniles ask the court for access to Prince’s medical records at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Baystate Medical Center, Providence Hospital and the Springfield Health Center. They also seek access to Prince’s counseling records and school guidance and medical records related to Prince and the defendants.
The lawyers allege that Prince had a history of mental-health problems that preceded the alleged bullying by the defendants.
Testimony has revealed that Prince began cutting herself in 2008, while she was still living in Ireland. A defendant testified he learned she had been suicidal after inquiring about her scars.
The defense lawyers claim the records they are requesting contain information that is exculpatory, meaning it could prove the defendants are innocent.
According to the motions, “They document repeated patterns of cutting, negative attention seeking behavior, medication, drug use and prior suicide attempts.”
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