Narey offered an apology to Prince's family during the proceedings.
An updated version of this story is now available at MassLive.com.
Kayla Narey appears in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton Wednesday. FOLLOW RECENT UPDATES
• Phoebe Prince case defendant Sean Mulveyhill pleads guilty to criminal harassment; other charges dropped
• Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan to hold press conference on Phoebe Prince cases Thursday
• More stories »
NORTHAMPTON - Kayla Narey, one of six teens charged in connection with the bullying-related suicide of South Hadley High School freshman Phoebe Prince, admitted to facts sufficient for a guilty finding on a misdemeanor criminal harassment charge in Hampshire Superior Court this morning.
As a result of the agreement, which Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder accepted, Narey's charge will be continued without a finding for one year, pending her completion of a probationary term. Her additional charges of civil rights resulting in bodily injury and disturbance of a school assembly were dropped. The conditions of her probation are:
- She is to have no contact with Prince's family, without their consent.
- She must complete 100 hours of community service, working with underprivileged or at-risk youth.
- She may not financially profit in any way from her role in the case.
Narey, 18, of South Hadley, was represented by attorney Michael Jennings.
Reading from a prepared statement, Narey apologized to both Phoebe Prince and her family during the proceedings.
Referring to her behavior as "unacceptable," Narey said, "I am immensely ashamed of myself."
She added: "Phoebe, I wish we could go back to December 10th and 11th of 2009, when you bravely apologized to me. It was my hurt, anger and jealousy that caused my attitude to change after Christmas vacation. That was when I had the chance to be the person I was raised to be. I failed."
Prince's mother, Anne O'Brien, delivered a victim impact statement tailored to Narey's alleged role in her daughter's death.
"Kayla had the opportunity to be a true leader of her school community, and put an end to Phoebe's torment," she said.
Instead, O'Brien told the court, "Kayla Narey is not capable of compassion."
When judge Kinder asked O'Brien if she supports the joint recommendation being made by the prosecution and defense, a long pause followed.
"Yes, your honor," O'Brien ultimately said.
Steven Gagne's Statement in Prince Case 5411
Sean Mulveyhill is seen in Hampshire Superior Court Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor charge of criminal harassment.In earlier proceedings Wednesday, Sean Mulveyhill pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor charge of criminal harassment in Hampshire Superior Court this morning.
Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder accepted the recommendation to the court and sentenced Mulveyhill, 18, to one year of probation, with several provisions -- including a requirement to complete 100 hours of community service and an agreement that he may not profit financially from his role in the case.
Three more defendants are due in court on Thursday.
Sharon Velazquez is scheduled to appear at 11 a.m. Ashley Longe and Flannery Mullins will appear in Franklin Hampshire Juvenile Court at 2 p.m. for what will likely be a resolution of the charges against them.
The five teens -- all former South Hadley High School Students -- were charged in the wake of the Jan. 2010 suicide of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince. Former Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel, who filed the charges, said the teens had subjected Prince to an extended campaign of bullying. Prince was in her first year at the high school after her family moved here from Ireland.
A sixth defendant, Austin Renaud, still faces a count of statutory rape for allegedly having sex with Prince -- a charge he has denied. He is not accused of harassing Prince. A pretrial conference in his case is scheduled for July 6.
Staff writer Fred Contrada and assistant online editor Greg Saulmon contributed to this report. This is a developing story; it will be updated as our reporting continues.