Seven students at a Fort Worth high school who allegedly committed various acts of violence to rid their school of drug users and dealers were indicted on 17 felony and 16 misdemeanor charges by a grand jury last week.
The authorities have accused the six seniors and one junior, who called themselves the Legion of Doom, of blowing up a car with a pipe bomb, threatening another student with a gun, vandalism, and other acts of violence against students attending the Paschal High School, where the suspects were enrolled.
Joe R. Sherrod, communications director for the Fort Worth Indepen-dent School District, said the individuals charged with the crimes were “honor students and athletes” who had never been in trouble with the law before. He described the Legion of Doom as a “secret society” and said the students were involved in a “misguided” attempt to rid the school of drug abuse.
The majority of the crimes were directed against students the Legion of Doom believed to be either drug dealers or drug users, Mr. Sherrod said.
The six graduating seniors were not allowed to attend graduation ceremonies but will be permitted to graduate and will receive their diplomas in the mail, according to Mr. Sherrod. The junior was suspended for the rest of the semester but will be allowed to take his final examinations during the summer and may return to school this fall.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 28, at which time the defendants will enter their pleas, according to Scott Wisch, Assistant District Attorney for Tarrant County.
Mr. Wisch said that the most serious of the crimes carries a penalty of from two to 20 years in prison. Under Texas law, however, a person convicted of a crime who has no previous record and has been given a sentence of 10 years or less is eligible for a suspended sentence, Mr. Wisch said.--nh
