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Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Ind. Courts - 86 underage drinkers arrested during Purdue Grand Prix festivities accept court consequences

Joe Gerrety of the Lafayette Journal & Courier writes today:

Dozens of people arrested during Purdue Grand Prix festivities earlier this month made initial court appearances Monday in Tippecanoe Superior Court 6.

Chief deputy prosecutor Kristen McVey said 86 people arrested for underage drinking were offered and accepted diversion agreements.

Under the agreements offered to first-time offenders, prosecutors agreed not to seek a criminal conviction if the defendant agreed to pay $255 in fees, undergo an alcohol evaluation and any recommended alcohol education or treatment recommended by Court Services, abstain from alcohol and otherwise stay out of trouble for a year.

People with previous alcohol-related arrests were offered a plea agreement that would require them to plead guilty to a crime or ask for a jury trial.

Last week in Superior Court 4, McVey said, 27 people arrested on suspicion of public intoxication were offered similar diversion agreements or plea agreements.

In addition, nine people were issued infractions, accused of inducing minors to possess or consume alcohol. An infraction is a non-criminal violation that carries a fine.

McVey said a few students who were scheduled to make court appearances called in advance and asked that their hearings be delayed because of school conflicts.

This is final exam week at Purdue. Those students were given the opportunity to come to court this morning.

"Judge (Les) Meade was kind enough to give us a secondary date," McVey said.

Altogether, police agencies reported 142 arrests related to Grand Prix revelry between April 19 and April 22. The annual partying is loosely associated with a 50-mile, student-organized go-kart race on campus.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 1, 2007 08:15 AM
Posted to Ind. Trial Ct. Decisions