Donovan: 21 of 24 Taking Deal So Far

Just a few minutes after 2 p.m., the last month in connection with were . Less than two and a half hours later, all but three had taken the offer by Paulding County District Attorney Dick Donovan.

Donovan about 4:30 p.m. told Dallas-Hiram Patch that all 24 teens were present at at the . Of those present, 21 accepted his offer to send their cases to pre-trial diversion.

The pre-trial diversion program will have participants each performing 400 hours of community services at places approved by the pre-trial diversion supervisors, Supervision Services Inc.; each participant will have to pay the company $420 to cover 12 months of pre-trial diversion expenses.

Participants also will have to pay a $300 administration fee to the county, as well as restitution to the Paulding County School System. Under the latter requirement, those taking part in the program will be jointly liable for paying the school district’s clean-up costs, which .

Those taking the deal will not have a felony on their record for the crime of criminal interference with government property, with which all 24 were charged; conviction of such a crime carries a sentence of imprisonment for one to five years, according to Georgia Code 16-7-24. But those taking the deal will still have an arrest record to their name.

If you were one of those involved, would you accept Donovan's deal? Do you think Donovan's deal is too harsh, or too lenient? Tell us in the comments.

The three teens yet to agree to the deal have until Monday, April 30, to make their  ultimate decision. Should any refuse the deal, the DA will pursue charges against them. Donovan also said that those who do not complete the program within 12 months will have their pre-trial program terminated and, at his discretion, could face prosecution.

Should any teen(s) refuse the deal, those who agreed to take it will be responsible for one more requirement—they will have to testify at the trial of any of their codefendants.

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