Delta Delta Delta sorority intends to plead no contest to two felony counts of providing alcohol to a minor and has waived the right to a jury trial, Tri-Delta President Jessica Duda '96 said last night.
When a defendant in a criminal case enters a plea of no contest, or "nolo contendere," it means he or she is not admitting guilt but is stating they will offer no defense.
The defendant is then subject to being judged guilty and punished as if he or she had pleaded guilty or had been convicted.
The sorority is charged with serving alcohol to Meredith Scott '96 and Heidi Taylor '96 at last spring's "Date-a-Delta" party.
Scott was arrested by Hanover Police and Taylor was taken to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Taylor was treated for alcohol intoxication. Both women were under 21.
A preliminary trial hearing was initially set for Nov. 23 at Grafton County Superior Court and a final pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Jan. 23. A jury trial was then supposed to take place the weeks of Feb. 6 and 13.
But according to a clerk at Grafton County Superior Court, the house decided not to have a jury trial. Instead, the sorority will attend a sentencing hearing and receive their sentence directly from a judge, the clerk said.
Duda said Tri-Delta decided not to have a jury trial after having a house meeting.
"Neither the two members of the house, the social chairs or any officers want to relive the entire experience," she said.
Attorney Claude Buttrey of Lebanon is representing the sorority.
"I though it was a tryable case and they had a good defense," Buttrey said.
He said Tri-Delta filed a notice of intention to plead guilty on Dec. 6.
Buttrey said the sorority is not obligated to officially enter a plea until the hearing.
He said the maximum fine for the sorority's charges is $100,000, but he said he expects the fine to be significantly less.
Buttrey said the fine the sorority will eventually pay will be "not even in the ballpark" of the maximum amount.
"We've been told to expect to pay a small fine," Duda said.
On Jan. 4, Tri-Delta filed a motion to waive a pre-sentence investigation, the court clerk said.
Buttrey said the investigation was not necessary for the case.
A final date has not been set for the sentencing hearing, Buttrey said.
Buttrey said he expects the hearing to take place in late February or early March.
