The three teens, tried in juvenile court, admitted to the crime according to our media partner, The Mercury News. If they were charged as adults, they might have spent 10 years in prison.
Two of the teens, now 16, have completed 30-day terms, serving weekends in juvenile hall. The third, now 17, is still completing a 45-day sentence. Documents obtained by the Mercury News indicated all three admitted to the sexual assault of 15-year-old Pott during a party at a private home on Sept. 2012. She committed suicide after learning explicit photos of her were shared on social media.
Her parents, Lawrence and Sheila Pott, have filed a civil suit against the boys' families. The Pott's attorney issued a statement saying, "We cannot publicly comment on any aspect of any criminal proceedings involving these young men."
Defense attorney Edward Ajlouny says the boys will be on probation. He told us, "The probation officers is required to monitor them for up to three years. Mostly, you'll see a year to 18 months, supervision periods in juvenile courts. But the probation officer, if there's a problem, is supposed to notify the court."
Edward Ajlouny is a defense attorney not connected to the Audrie Pott case, but he handles many sexual assault cases. He told us, "They're focusing on rehabilitation and trying to help these boys and other minors who get in trouble to change their ways and to grow up and to learn from their mistakes."
Jorge Wong, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist at Asian Americans for Community Involvement. He says offenders react differently to juvenile detention.
"People who may not come from environments or neighborhoods where they see incarceration as a badge of honor, may take it much more seriously. It may mean something much more serious to them than someone who comes from a much more... a neighborhood much more delinquent. They may feel going to jail is something of a badge of honor," said Jorge Wong, Ph.D.
We did not hear back from the principal at Saratoga High and from the district superintendent when asked for comment.
