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NH4JP · 09-03-2018, 11:31 AM

KING AVOID PRISON; CAN KEEP PLAYING HOCKEY.

HALIFAX- A S42 SMJHL draftee who faced a possible felony conviction after he Snapchatted a video of a locker room prank to his whole high school during the preseason can now graduate to a future free of such a hurdle.

His story becomes another cautionary tale about the potential dangers that accompany the impulse to share every one of life's funny moments on social media, where not everyone will always find humor.

Leshaun King, 17 at the time, had been charged with capturing an image of nudity in the Halifax Raider's locker room, of a person under 18, until his lawyers worked out a better resolution to the case. King pleaded guilty last Wednesday to unlawful use of an electronic communications system, a misdemeanor.

Halifax county Judge John Mooses withheld conviction and agreed to expunge the record if King successfully completes six months of probation and does 25 hours of community service.

"I learned a lot from this," King told the judge. "I'm sorry this happened, and it will never happen again."

Back in September, King had taken a video of a 17-year-old boy, whom was also a draftee, as he tried to retrieve his underwear from on top of a water tank in a janitor's locker where some other draftees had thrown it. The boy's naked buttocks were visible in the video, which King posted in a way that any Halifax high school student on Snapchat would see.

One student who saw it told an administrator. King admitted to the prank. Police were called. Though the victim initially said he felt humiliated and embarrassed by the incident, he later told a victim/witness coordinator that King had apologized, they were still friends and he was worried what would happen to King.

Well before last Wednesday, King already suffered other consequences, including a five-day school suspension, suspension from five morning hockey practices and no cellphone use while out on bail.

Halifax County District Attorney Robert Bacon said after the hearing that there had been a request for prosecution, and the original felony was the only crime that fit the facts.

He and defense attorney Samuel Champlain actually had to convince Judge Mooses there was a basis for the amended charge since it mentioned “threat of physical injury,” that was no way a part of what happened.

He told King, who along with the lawyers seemed caught off guard, “Someday, it might matter to you if someone wanted to know if you were threatening to physically harm someone.”

Robert Bacon agreed to amend the charge again, citing a different subsection of the statute that mentions a sent message that “uses any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggests any lewd or lascivious act.”

Bacon and Champlain agreed on the recommended sentence that Mooses adopted. He said while King has no prior record and has been remorseful, “This was wrong. I know it’s a problem, people playing fast and loose with cellphones, and it's worse what some adults do.”

Champlain reminded the judge that King was 17, “and didn’t understand the gravity, the drastic ramifications” the prank could have. He said the family and the team were satisfied with the outcome, which allows King “to have options going forward,” but suggested authorities be more proactive.

"Maybe prosecutors should be going to SMJHL's team's locker rooms to explain just how serious the consequences of some social media behavior can be", Champlain said.

The Halifax Raiders' general manager said that he was glad the whole saga was over and that young Leshaun can now "put 100% of his focus on hockey for the upcoming season."

This story breaks out as we are approaching the season 43's SMJHL draft. Just a friendly reminder for all the future draftees to keep locker room things in the locker room.

The moral of the story: Don't be like King.

Code:
650 words

King · 09-03-2018, 12:31 PM

LOL

Justice · 09-03-2018, 01:58 PM

did you guys know west kendall platoon was founded by a child molester

*Good_Ole_Kimmy* · 09-03-2018, 01:59 PM

lmao you Halifax boys wild

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