[Editor’s Note: This article has been updated by removing the name of at least one arrested teen whose charges were dismissed.]
A judge agreed Wednesday to grant probation to two Darien teenagers who were charged in November in connection with the assault on a New Canaan boy, and after community service is completed, there won’t be a record of the criminal case, the attorney for one of the teens said.
Attorney Stephen Seeger of Stamford said his client, Brian Minicus, 18, “apologized to the victim and to his own family,” at the hearing in state Superior Court in Norwalk. Minicus had previously apologized to the victim.
According to an article from Erin Kayata of Hearst’s Darien News, Minicus said at the court hearing:
“I want to apologize to the victim, my family, especially my mom and dad, and all of Darien. […] I feel like I left them down. … I learned a lot in these three months. They’ve been the worst three months.”
“Gracefully, they [the victim and his family] extended the courtesy of not objecting” to the request for accelerated rehabilitation. Minicus’ next court date is March 8, but he doesn’t have to show up for the court hearing, Seeger said. By then, Seeger expects to have notified the court that Minicus performed 40 hours of community service. At that point, the judge said the charges would be dropped and the public record of it erased.
Seeger said he believe [an arrested teen], in court at the same hearing, also received accelerated rehabilitation. A juvenile charged along with [an arrested teen] and Minicus went to Juvenile Court for the disposition of his case.
“It is the right disposition,” Seeger said. “All of these boys have college prospects and things to think about. […] I’m just glad the court took into consideration this young man had college prospects that were important. I’m glad the court recognized there were many lessons learned.”
The teenage victim had been trading trash talk by text and Snapchat with people Minicus was with, when Minicus, [an arrested teen] and others decided to visit a party where they understood the teenager was located, New Canaan police said.
When the Darien teenagers arrived, one youth held him and Minicus repeatedly pummeled him, according to police, while [an arrested teen] caused a disturbance. The next day, Minicus apologized to the victim, but police found out about the matter, investigated and later charged the Darien teens.
Both Minicus and [an arrested teen] played on the Blue Wave varsity team. Each was off the field for the Turkey Bowl, which New Canaan won handily even though Darien’s reserves had stepped in.