URBANA, Ill. (WAND) – Another two teens involved in a fight that shut down an Urbana school were sentenced in court.
The News-Gazette reports Judge Tom Difanis ordered a 16-year-old to go to a public service and counseling program because he had no criminal record, while another 16-year-old pleaded guilty to a mob action charge and was told he must serve a year of probation. Those two, along with six other suspects, were involved in the Feb. 4 fight between two groups of students at Urbana High School.
That fight led to a teacher who tried to stop the melee ending up knocked out when two students accidentally fell on them.
Per the newspaper, the teen sentenced to probation apologized in court and said “you will never see me in this courtroom again”. Difanis, who had heard positive things about that teen, told him he needs to avoid getting “sucked into a drama” and be a leader instead. He is required to serve 50 hours of public service and avoid speaking to the seven other boys who face charges.
The teen sent to the program will have his mob action charge dismissed if he completes it by later on in the summer.
A 15-year-old teen is serving prison time in connection to the fight after his April sentencing hearing, while another teen will serve 30 months of probation. A second 15-year-old received the diversion option sentenced in the same month.
The final three cases of teens have yet to be resolved as of Wednesday night.
