Editor’s note: After years of court battles, the case against a 17-year-old Mountain View High student convicted of attempting to rape a 15-year-old classmate in 1997 was expunged in court and police records.
The principal of Mountain View High School hopes a visit by a rape-crisis team helped students realize that decisions made now can seriously affect the best-laid plans for the future.
The Dating and Violent Assault Task Force — made up of police officers, the Utah County Attorney's Office, victim advocates and guidance counselors — was called in after allegations of sexual assault surfaced against two former Mountain View athletes.
"When behavior goes outside of boundaries, you can lose control of your life," Principal William Delaney said. "We feel sorry for these kids and the impacts on their lives."
Matthew F. Stroshine was arraigned in November on two felony sexual abuse charges in 4th District Juvenile Court. He told the court the charges were false.
An 18-year-old was bound over to adult court from 4th District Juvenile Court this week. He faces one count of aggravated sexual assault and one count of forcible sodomy, both first-degree felonies.
"I think (he) is a good kid, and this has been tough on everybody," said Mike Esplin, the 18-year-old's attorney. "It was a consensual situation that has got out of hand."
He plans to file a motion next week to keep the case in juvenile court. He believes the prosecutor's use of the Serious Offender Act in filing the charges wasn't needed. Such crimes usually involve the brandishing of weapons or extreme bodily injury to the victim.
Although neither alleged incident occurred at the school, students are still reeling in the aftermath of widespread attention in the community and press, Delaney said.
"Even though it's not a part of my school, it's a part of my school," he said. "Our school is affected by what happens in the community."
The team talked to students in English classes over a two-day period. A teacher was present at all times during the discussion, Delaney said.
Students were told about the legal definition of rape and sexual assault, what penalties can be handed down if proven guilty and were urged to set boundaries for their actions in any situation.
Delaney said students were warned to avoid such myths as "the girl asked for it" and "no means yes," as well as typical reactions and feelings experienced by rape victims, the alleged perpetrator and the significant others in their lives.
"We were very sensitive that there wasn't an agenda. We avoided the moral issue," he said. "We felt we just really needed to give students critical information."
Delaney said a mailer was sent out informing parents of the team's message. Unfortunately, because of a late mailing by a company paid to send the fliers, some parents didn't receive the notice until the last day of the team's visit.
He received about six phone calls from concerned parents about the hot-button topic discussed by the rape-crisis team but is bolstered by the reaction of the students to the seminars.
"Kids felt good about the dialogue," he said.
Delaney hopes the discussion will make the teens think before becoming the judge and jury for either side. In his 17 years as an administrator he's never had to face such a sensitive issue. And his administration was criticized earlier this year by parents of a girl allegedly assaulted by Stroshine for not bringing immediate discipline against the young man.
But his hands were tied, Delaney said. In fairness to the student, he couldn't and wouldn't act until the county attorney decided to file charges.
"These are good kids. They are good families on both sides," he said. "It just shows that even something like this can happen with the best guidance from the best families."