WILSON HIGH SCHOOL
Coaches unaffected by plea offers to players
An attorney for one of the two coaches charged in the Wilson High School baseball hazing case said the plea deals offered this week to three accused players have no bearing on the case against his client.
Herbert L. Greenman, who represents suspended junior varsity coach William M. Atlas, also told The Buffalo News on Friday that he’s not interested in making a deal with the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office.
When asked whether plea deals offered Wednesday to the teens mean there could be a deal with prosecutors in his client’s future, Greenman said he’ll attempt to resolve the matter in court.
“Do I think my client is going to plead guilty to something?” Greenman said. “The answer is no.”
Atlas, 35, an elementary school physical education teacher, remains suspended with pay.
Atlas and varsity baseball coach Thomas
J. Baia, 40, a middle school math teacher, were arrested April 29, nearly two weeks after an alleged hazing incident aboard a baseball team bus.
They were each charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Both coaches failed to supervise the team on the ride back from Niagara Falls, police said.
The players, an 18-year-old and two 16- year-olds, were arrested April 25. They were charged with third-degree aggravated sexual abuse, a felony, as well as misdemeanor child endangerment in an incident involving two junior varsity players. The 18-year-old was charged with an additional sexual abuse count.
The plea deal would reduce the charges to a misdemeanor count of forcible touching and three counts of second-degree hazing, a violation, in exchange for a guilty plea.
Under terms of the proposal, there would be no guarantee the teens would be granted Youthful Offender status by the court, defense attorneys said.
Kevin P. Shelby, who is representing one of the 16-year-olds, said he considers the proposed deal still too severe for what he compared to a fraternity initiation, which, he added, had no sexual overtones.
“There was hazing that went on here. Now to what degree . . . is in dispute,” Shelby told The News on Thursday.
Shelby and attorney P. Andrew Vona, who represents the other 16-year-old, told The News on Thursday that all three defendants have received the same offer.
Neither Shelby nor Vona said he was interested in recommending that his client accept it.
Calls to the district attorney’s office were not returned Friday.
Terrence M. Connors, an attorney representing one of the victims who has filed a notice of claim with the Wilson School District — a move that paves the way for a lawsuit — said he intends to let the situation play out.
“My focus is on the civil litigation, and the district attorney has the responsibility for the criminal prosecution,” said Connors, who this week said he believes school officials haven’t done enough to address the underlying conditions that led to the hazing incident.
