Parents' charges mostly dropped
Parents plead to one charge, get ten dropped for party of underage drinkers
BY ELLEN BILTZ
Date published: 7/16/2008
BY ELLEN BILTZ
The Caroline County parents charged earlier this year with providing alcohol to minors at their teenager's birthday party had most of their charges dismissed yesterday in a plea agreement.
James Stanley, 42, and Linda Stanley, 43, each pleaded guilty to one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in exchange for the 10 other counts of the same charge being dropped.
They each agreed to a six-month suspended jail sentence and 30 hours of community service as part of the plea in juvenile and domestic relations court, said Commonwealth's Attorney Tony Spencer.
He said there was no evidence that the couple provided alcohol to the teens partying in their home the night they were charged.
Stuart Sullivan, who represented the Stanleys, said the 11 teens, ages 15-17, who police found to have been drinking when they responded to the couple's home in April, consumed the alcohol without the Stanleys' knowledge.
He said the couple planned for their 15-year-old daughter to invite two or three friends over for an evening, so they went to Wal-Mart to pick up the Hannah Montana cake they had previously ordered.
When they returned home, Sullivan said, they found their house full of teenagers they didn't know were coming. Then, as they cut the cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to their daughter, they began to realize some of the unexpected partygoers had been drinking.
The Caroline County Sheriff's Office arrived soon after, Sullivan said.
Spencer said yesterday that while he can't verify every aspect of Sullivan's explanation, the facts surrounding it convinced him a plea agreement would be appropriate.
Both of the Stanleys still have six pending counts of providing alcohol to someone under 21 for the six partyers ages 18-20.
Spencer said that at the upcoming Sept. 12 trial for those charges, a similar plea agreement can be expected.
Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Email: ebiltz@freelancestar.com
Read more stories about Caroline
Date published: 7/16/2008
Most recent reader comments:
WHAT THE H$%@
(posted by
PageantMom
, July 16, 2008 4:24 pm)
What 15 year old wants a Hannah Montana Birthday Cake? Knowing people that know them, they are the "party house" type of parents. Ms. Stanley has been convicted of 2 DUIs that I know of......
Really, that's their story?
(posted by
travelin_bone
, July 16, 2008 3:22 pm)
Sounds very watered down to me. A lot of teens drink but this sounds like a case of a "party house" atmosphere where the parents turn a blind eye to a lot of things to keep the peace with their kids, and that lax attitude caught up with them.
Kids
(posted by
taxpayer
, July 16, 2008 1:08 pm)
Will be Kids. But I'm really glad that the Stanleys' had the charges reduces to 1 count. And the kids that did it behind their backs? Oh they'll just have to say "I'm sorry" and The Stanleys' and everything else will be better immediately. RIght! I'm sure it wil erase the mental trauma that they have went through since it happened.
Not surprised
(posted by
peachesmom
, July 16, 2008 10:43 am)
I am not surprised at the outcome in this or any other contributing charges. There are always plea bargains with little or no punishment leaving people to believe it is ok and so it continues and kids will continue to die as well as those they hurt or kill on our roadways. When are the courts going to start taking this problem seriously? I don't buy the story seems they have done it before or since and again they will get off. Next time they do it some kid may not be so lucky.
sure sounds like
(posted by
jameyboat
, July 16, 2008 8:00 am)
poor parenting on the part of the Stanleys. and what punishment did the teens get?
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