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American Morning

High School Hazing

Aired May 13, 2003 - 08:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Focusing on a story that seems like it just won't go away here in this country. Police in suburban Chicago consider criminal charges in connection with the high school hazing.
Meanwhile, several senior girls at Glenbrook North High School have been suspended for their roles in the attack on juniors, which was captured on videotape. And the principal of Glenbrook North says that the school is moving to expel those who were involved.

Attorney Rollin Soskin is representing three juniors who say they were injured in that hazing. He's our guest this morning from Northbrook, Illinois.

Rollin, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

ROLLIN SOSKIN, ATTORNEY: Good morning.

KAGAN: I want to look at this with you from three levels. First, the response of the school, coming out yesterday talking about this suspension for now for some of these girls and possible expulsion. Are your clients satisfied with that response from the school?

SOSKIN: Well, I don't know that my clients are satisfied or dissatisfied. The school is punishing people for violating the school code, and that's between the school and the students, who are looking at the injuries that were sustained by our clients and the violations of the criminal laws of the state of Illinois. And those are the things that need to be punished for our clients to be satisfied...

KAGAN: All right.

(CROSSTALK)

SOSKIN: ... for our clients to be satisfied.

KAGAN: Let's look at the two legal aspects, then. First, criminal charges. It does sound like you are encouraging prosecutors to pursue criminal charges.

SOSKIN: Absolutely. That's what should happen to adults who violate the law. They should be pursued criminally, the same as any other person who is alleged to have violated a criminal act or a criminal...

(CROSSTALK) KAGAN: Well, when you're talking about adults there are two groups here. There are the students who were involved, possibly any adults, parents, who might have provided alcohol or helped set up this event. You would like to see criminal charges against those as well?

SOSKIN: Well, when I say adults, I mean anybody who is over age of 18 years old, and from my understanding, that includes all of the seniors who were involved or almost all of the seniors who were involved. But, yes, I would also like to see any parents who provided alcohol pursued criminally as well.

KAGAN: And what about a civil lawsuit? Are your clients looking at filing that?

SOSKIN: Absolutely.

KAGAN: And who...

SOSKIN: Absolutely.

KAGAN: How will you know exactly who to sue, and how much do you sue for?

SOSKIN: Well, who to sue, there are the obvious defendants that are on the tape beating them and causing them bodily harm. But in addition...

KAGAN: But you also go after the school district. Do you go after the place where this event was held? Will there be a long list of people that you go after?

SOSKIN: Well, the list may be long for individuals, but the Forest Reserve District where this took place, I don't know that they have any liability. There was no permit issued, and I don't know what the relationship would be there. The school is -- whether the school was legally culpable is a questionable issue based on the Illinois Tort Immunity Act. Schools get broad immunity from tort actions. We're investigating all the facts and investigating them further, and we can't really make a decision about that until we have finished our investigation.

KAGAN: And finally, we mentioned that your clients might have been injured in this attack. How are they doing today?

SOSKIN: Well, you know, they're traumatized and physically injured. But, you know, they're healing. One of my clients got the stitches out yesterday from her head. The other students -- one of my other clients has a fractured tailbone, and I'm sure she's still experiencing a great amount of discomfort. And I have a client that's got a concussion. I have a client -- at least one client who is waking up in the middle of the night feeling like five people are holding her down and beating her.

KAGAN: Well, we wish them well, and...

SOSKIN: So, it's moving along, but it's going to take time. KAGAN: All right. We wish them well in their recovery. Rollin Soskin joining us from Northbrook, Illinois. Thank you, sir, for your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired May 13, 2003 - 08:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Focusing on a story that seems like it just won't go away here in this country. Police in suburban Chicago consider criminal charges in connection with the high school hazing.
Meanwhile, several senior girls at Glenbrook North High School have been suspended for their roles in the attack on juniors, which was captured on videotape. And the principal of Glenbrook North says that the school is moving to expel those who were involved.

Attorney Rollin Soskin is representing three juniors who say they were injured in that hazing. He's our guest this morning from Northbrook, Illinois.

Rollin, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

ROLLIN SOSKIN, ATTORNEY: Good morning.

KAGAN: I want to look at this with you from three levels. First, the response of the school, coming out yesterday talking about this suspension for now for some of these girls and possible expulsion. Are your clients satisfied with that response from the school?

SOSKIN: Well, I don't know that my clients are satisfied or dissatisfied. The school is punishing people for violating the school code, and that's between the school and the students, who are looking at the injuries that were sustained by our clients and the violations of the criminal laws of the state of Illinois. And those are the things that need to be punished for our clients to be satisfied...

KAGAN: All right.

(CROSSTALK)

SOSKIN: ... for our clients to be satisfied.

KAGAN: Let's look at the two legal aspects, then. First, criminal charges. It does sound like you are encouraging prosecutors to pursue criminal charges.

SOSKIN: Absolutely. That's what should happen to adults who violate the law. They should be pursued criminally, the same as any other person who is alleged to have violated a criminal act or a criminal...

(CROSSTALK) KAGAN: Well, when you're talking about adults there are two groups here. There are the students who were involved, possibly any adults, parents, who might have provided alcohol or helped set up this event. You would like to see criminal charges against those as well?

SOSKIN: Well, when I say adults, I mean anybody who is over age of 18 years old, and from my understanding, that includes all of the seniors who were involved or almost all of the seniors who were involved. But, yes, I would also like to see any parents who provided alcohol pursued criminally as well.

KAGAN: And what about a civil lawsuit? Are your clients looking at filing that?

SOSKIN: Absolutely.

KAGAN: And who...

SOSKIN: Absolutely.

KAGAN: How will you know exactly who to sue, and how much do you sue for?

SOSKIN: Well, who to sue, there are the obvious defendants that are on the tape beating them and causing them bodily harm. But in addition...

KAGAN: But you also go after the school district. Do you go after the place where this event was held? Will there be a long list of people that you go after?

SOSKIN: Well, the list may be long for individuals, but the Forest Reserve District where this took place, I don't know that they have any liability. There was no permit issued, and I don't know what the relationship would be there. The school is -- whether the school was legally culpable is a questionable issue based on the Illinois Tort Immunity Act. Schools get broad immunity from tort actions. We're investigating all the facts and investigating them further, and we can't really make a decision about that until we have finished our investigation.

KAGAN: And finally, we mentioned that your clients might have been injured in this attack. How are they doing today?

SOSKIN: Well, you know, they're traumatized and physically injured. But, you know, they're healing. One of my clients got the stitches out yesterday from her head. The other students -- one of my other clients has a fractured tailbone, and I'm sure she's still experiencing a great amount of discomfort. And I have a client that's got a concussion. I have a client -- at least one client who is waking up in the middle of the night feeling like five people are holding her down and beating her.

KAGAN: Well, we wish them well, and...

SOSKIN: So, it's moving along, but it's going to take time. KAGAN: All right. We wish them well in their recovery. Rollin Soskin joining us from Northbrook, Illinois. Thank you, sir, for your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.