| Advertisement |
|
|
Falodun walked into the Hamilton County Justice building around 12:45 p.m. Thursday flanked by his attorney but not speaking to reporters gathered for his plea hearing. Falodun is now the second of the four Carmel High School basketball seniors to get a plea deal and charges dropped.
Falodun received the same agreement as Scott Laskowski. Falodun pled guilty to count two: Criminal Recklessness. Counts one and three, also misdemeanors were dropped as part of the deal.
Falodun got one year probation and must perform 40 hours of community service. Fox59 News obtained the letter submitted to the judge by Falodun. The following are excerpts which Judge Hughes acknowledged during the plea proceedings Thursday:
"Dear Judge Hughes,
I'm aware of the notoriety my action brought the city of Carmel, (the victim), and his family as well as my own family. I take full and total responsibility for my action and I want to offer my sincerest apology to everyone that has been affected by this case."
"I understand what I did was wrong by failing to show the values of a senior on the basketball team. I let myself down. I humiliated my school, the coaching staff and the community by my action. I now fully understand by holding (the victim's) wrist while others were teasing and picking on him, I put him in a defenseless situation."
"I give you my word that I plan to use this experience, which without a doubt has been the darkest moment of my 18 years on earth, to speak out against bullying and hazing. If ever faced with the same situation again, I guarantee you I will do all I can to stop the situation and prevent another person from being humiliated or hurt."
Falodun's attorney detailed what his client pleaded guilty to doing to the freshman victim in the count 2 case:
"Oscar had him by the wrist in a teasing manner it created a situation that went overboard and it put the victim im a situation he could have been at risk and harmed by other individuals," said Mark Sullivan.
Fox59 has also obtained a copy of the victims statement. This victim was the count which Falodun pleaded guilty to. Both he and the other alleged victims were freshman and part of the Carmel basketball team.
"What happened in the locker room was wrong but I think it needs to be put into context. I never felt Oscar was trying to hurt me and did not feel there was any malicious intent behind his actions. It was locker room horseplay that went too far. Oscar was my friend both before and after the incident, and I still consider him my friend today."
Outside the courtroom, the family of one of the victims held a protest complete with signs. Their son's case was dropped as part of the plea agreement as it was in the case against Scott Laskowski.
"Our son does not exist," said Mrs. Davis, whose son was assaulted in the Carmel Locker rooms and on the bus ride home from Terre Haute.
"They want to dismiss that he was even assaulted. How much evidence do you need. It was good enough in the beginning to get the DCS report."
However, Fox59 News has received information from several sources close to the case there are inconsistencies and possibly credibility issues with the allegations in that case. The Davis' maintain their son was repeatedly sexually hazed by upperclassmen on the basketball team. Their son was also on the team and a freshman serving as a team assistant.
Fox59 broke news Wednesday Hendricks County Prosecutor Pat Baldwin will be re-filing misdemeanor charges in the bus incident which is a separate case from the locker room. Brandon Hoge and Robert Kitzinger are expected to face misdemeanor battery charges for their role in the bus assault.
Oscar Falodun was not on the bus and so was not part of that investigation or prosecution. Falodun was expelled from Carmel but he finished his high school work and was allowed to receive his High School diploma.
He is now attending college at an undisclosed school outside of Hamilton County. Brandon Hoge and Robert Kitzinger still face misdemeanor charges in the locker room assault but attorneys following the cases believe plea deals will result in those cases as well.