Arizona Student Won’t Face Charges For Exposing Himself In A Yearbook Photo
Hunter Osborn, 19, will not receive any of the 69 charges for indecent exposure while taking a photo with his high school football team.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office of Phoenix, Arizona, made the announcement Wednesday night, reported Fox 31 News. All 69 individuals in the photograph, who were considered victims of Osborn’s action, all declined to press charges against their classmate.
The principal of the Red Mountain High School had originally “initiated a report involving Hunter Osborn inappropriately exposing himself in a published yearbook photograph,” wrote People Magazine. Still, thanks to his classmates and an online petition, which begged authorities not to give the young football player a felony charge, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office dropped all charges, wrote ABC 15. The Mesa Police Department released a statement regarding the incident.
“The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has advised us they reviewed the felony charge of Furnishing Harmful Items to Minors and the charge was declined. The misdemeanor charge of Indecent Exposure has been returned to the Police Department for further investigation. At this time all parties involved no longer desire prosecution and the case will be closed.”
Osborn’s fellow classmates not only began a petition on Change.Org titled “Free Hunter Osborn,” but are also directly blaming the school’s administration for giving the photo the okay to appear in the yearbook. High school student Alex Labben believes that action should be taken against the teacher that coordinates the yearbook, reported the New York Daily News.
“He wasn’t the editor that approved it or the teacher responsible for publishing it and distributing it to students…The teacher responsible for the yearbook should be fired. Red Mountain High School is using him as a scapegoat instead of taking any responsibility.”
Hunter Osborn told KNXV in Phoenix how grateful he was to not have any charges pressed against him, reported ABC 15.
“I am so happy with all the support, I am so thankful…God is on my side and I’m blessed [by] everything that’s happened from the support side.”
At the time the photograph was taken, Osborn was 18 years old, explains KTLA 5. Initially, the teen was charged with “facing one count of furnishing harmful items to minors and 69 counts of misdemeanor indecent exposure over the prank,” wrote KTLA 5. He received this count since some of his fellow teammates were only 15 years old, reported People Magazine. The teen was arrested last Saturday.
Hunter Osborn was originally dared by a fellow classmate to expose himself while taking the team photograph. The picture was published in the yearbook, without anyone noticing the indecent photograph, reported KTLA 5. Once the yearbooks were handed out to over 3,400 students and that same photo was distributed in programs at football games, the prank was up, reported the New York Daily News. The school recalled all the yearbooks and alerted the police, wrote the Daily News. A statement was then issued by Mesa Public Schools spokeswoman Helen Holland, according to AZCentral.
“The district is dismayed by the actions of the students involved in the photograph. Their behavior does not reflect the values of Red Mountain High School or Mesa Public Schools.”
Osborn was “disgusted” with his actions, he told KTLA 5. If Osborn had been convicted of the charges, he would have been forced to register as a sex offender, reported People Magazine.
Mesa, Arizona student won't face any charges for yearbook prank: https://t.co/ZdxZwPZo3O pic.twitter.com/6xy0C9Obis
— KTRE News (@KTREnews) May 5, 2016
The high school football player can still receive misdemeanor charges from the Mesa City Prosecutor, despite having earlier charges dropped, reported the Daily News.
[Image via Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office]
