1st teen in Mass. bullying case pleads guilty

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) — One of six teenagers charged in connection with the bullying related suicide of a Massachusetts high school sophomore has pleaded guilty to criminal harassment and been sentenced to one year of probation.

Sean Mulveyhill, who appeared in Franklin-Hampshire Juvenile Court today, was also ordered to do 100 hours of community service and not to profit from his involvement in the Phoebe Prince case.

Prince, who moved to South Hadley from Ireland, hanged herself in January 2010 in her family’s apartment about 100 miles west of Boston. Prosecutors say she had been relentlessly bullied at school.

Prosecutors dropped civil rights charges against the 18-year-old Mulveyhill.

Four other teens have also agreed to plea deals.

Prince’s mother says the family agreed to the deals to avoid the pain of a trial.