Three of the nine teenagers accused of driving 15-year-old Irish immigrant Phoebe Prince to commit suicide have been ordered to stay away from her family.
Sean Mulveyhill, 17, Austin Renaud, 18, and Kayla Narey, 17, were all freed today on personal recognizances as long as they left Phoebe's heartborken family alone.
Judge Judd Carheart made the ruling in a brief arraignment which the three teenagers did not attend.
Narey’s lawyer, Michael Jennings, says threats are pouring in against his client over the web.
“She’s having a difficult time,” said Jennings. “She is a young woman, 17 years old and not used to being known around the world.”
Jennings - who is doing his job and his best to defend his client - said no charges were brought last year against the children who bullied MA 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover who also hanged himself.
The trio are due back in Hampshire Superior Court on Sept. 15 for a pretrial hearing.
The three are among nine teens accused in the bullying which dates back to Phoebe's arrival at the school in September 09.
Phoebe, who was in her first year at South Hadley High School, hanged herself Jan. 14 after what prosecutors say was relentless bullying by the three teenagers and at least six others at the school.
Mulveyhill, of South Hadley, and Renaud, of Springfield, face charges of statutory rape, while Mulveyhill and Narey, of South Hadley, face charges of violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, and disturbance of a school assembly.
It was a mob scene at the Hampshire court today as media outnumbered everyone else for a first look at the teenagers who are accused of literally bullying Phoebe to death.
Terrence Dunphy, an attorney for Renaud, said he had not seen any evidence in the case yet and had little further comment.
Outside the court, student Eric Lacust told the Boston Globe that he was angry that the three teens skipped court.
“They should be denied bail,” Lacust said .“I think it’s wrong that no one showed up. It shows you can get away with murder, and it’s all right.”
Comments