Prosecutor promises word on alleged booze at NHS prom

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

FORT SCOTT -- The long-simmering dispute over a half-dozen Nevada High School students' alleged alcohol consumption at their April 9 junior-senior prom may finally be resolved this week.

In statements to the Fort Scott Tribune, Bourbon County Attorney Teri Johnson and Fort Scott Police Lt. Travis Shelton reported progress in their investigation of students' claims that a bartender sold them alcohol at Buffalo Grill in Fort Scott.

Johnson told the Tribune through an intermediary last week that she was almost ready to make a decision on whether or not to file a charge or charges in the case and would issue a press release about it "late next week," although she would not answer questions afterward.

Shelton said FSPD Det. Jason Pickert had submitted his report to Johnson and said "it will be up to her whether to prosecute, recommend, follow up or decline prosecution if there is not enough evidence."

Denying any wrongdoing, Buffalo Grill co-owner Becky Mann had told the Daily Mail that she and her husband Dean gave police a 6 1/2-hour video tape recording of the River Room's "bar," which served only non-alcoholic drinks during the prom. Mann said last week they had not hired a lawyer because they expected to be exonerated.

"Sodas and fruit punch were all anybody was serving," she said April 14. "A security camera was trained on the bar and we've looked at the video, trying to get to the bottom of this.

"I don't know where the students got the alcohol, but they didn't get any upstairs in the River Room because there was none there. We checked it and the Nevada people checked it before the prom started. Dean and I were helping the bartender 75 percent of the time. He was never by himself.

"There were adults and security people at every exit and the bathrooms," Mann said. "They were also at the stairs to make sure no students got downstairs, where there was a real bar. There was no incident unless the students provided it themselves or had it later on in the evening."

Buffalo Grill Manager Jeh Hunter said the prom was attended by 400 people, including 30 chaperones who took turns helping serve the students non-alcoholic "mock-tail" mixtures of fruit punch and sodas.

Nevada R-5 Superintendent David Stephens reported the week after the prom that "five or six" teens had drunk alcohol and were being disciplined. "They're just allegations at this point, but the kids' report of the way the incidents took place is pretty consistent," Stephens said.

"All the students involved -- I believe there were five or six --- were subject to school discipline. Our policy states that any student involved in having alcohol can be suspended for up to 180 days.

"None of the students involved received that maximum, but the consequences were in accordance with school policy."

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