Inevitable dismissal of Rider charges happens

After dismissing charges today against two Rider University officials in the alcohol poisoning hazing death of a fraternity pledge, Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini has a lot more explaining to do about why this was pursued in the first place.
The case against the dean of students and head of campus life at the college were certainly provocative, and sparked a hell of a lot of debate about when college officials will step in and do something about these kind of deadly shenanigans on their campuses.
But these were charges that didn't meet the common sense test. Everyone - from laymen to lawyers - had the same reaction when they heard about them. And that was that this was a stunt by a publicity-seeking or crusading prosecutor.
This isn't an episode of "Law and Order." You can't charge a high school principal for stuff that students do at the prom. You might feel like they're not doing their job well, but you haven't walked in their shoes.
And you certainly are abusing your position as the people's representative in the court system by trumping up some kind of criminal charge against them.

Inevitable dismissal of Rider charges happens

After dismissing charges today against two Rider University officials in the alcohol poisoning hazing death of a fraternity pledge, Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini has a lot more explaining to do about why this was pursued in the first place.
The case against the dean of students and head of campus life at the college were certainly provocative, and sparked a hell of a lot of debate about when college officials will step in and do something about these kind of deadly shenanigans on their campuses.
But these were charges that didn't meet the common sense test. Everyone - from laymen to lawyers - had the same reaction when they heard about them. And that was that this was a stunt by a publicity-seeking or crusading prosecutor.
This isn't an episode of "Law and Order." You can't charge a high school principal for stuff that students do at the prom. You might feel like they're not doing their job well, but you haven't walked in their shoes.
And you certainly are abusing your position as the people's representative in the court system by trumping up some kind of criminal charge against them.