Labrie Found Guilty of Statutory Rape, Other Charges

A former St. Paul’s School student has been found guilty of more than half the charges he faced in Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord on Aug. 28, 2015.

Owen Labrie, 19, of Tunbridge, VT, was found guilty of three misdemeanor sexual assault (statutory rape) charges, as well as endangering the welfare of a child and a felony charge certain uses of computer services prohibited. He was found not guilty of numerous aggravated felonious sexual assault charges.

WATCH: Post-St. Paul’s School Rape Case Reaction

Labrie was arrested in July 2014 on allegations he raped a 15-year-old classmate in May, just before graduation, as part of a “Senior Salute” sex ritual at the school where upperclassmen targeted – and attempted – to have sex with younger students at the school.

Labrie was accused of pressuring the girl until she agreed to meet him on the rooftop of a school building that the students were using as a secluded area to “slay” the girls. The upperclassmen attempted to have sex with as many girls as possible and kept tabs on each other.

The case began after the mother of the girl reported the assault to a school nurse who then called police. Investigators spent about two months looking into the case before filing charges.

Prosecuting attorney Joe Cherniske alleged that Labrie chose a maintenance room to rape the girl because it was “where no one would hear a 15-year-old girl say no.”

The girl gave chilling testimony saying, “I was violated in so many ways” and said that after rebuffing Labrie, she later agreed to meet with him because she thought it would be cool.

After finding out there was an investigation into the encounter, Labrie and his mother attempted to clear his devices of interactivity with the girl and fellow students who he shared details with.

Labrie took the stand in his own defense and was the only defense witness. He claimed that no sexual intercourse took place and that he had a “moment of divine inspiration” and stopped himself. He stated that he had a crush on her and said he lied during electronic interactions when he boasted about his conquest.

“I wanted to look good,” he said. “I wanted people to think it went great.”

According to prosecutors, Labrie had a list of 19 girls he had hopes of “slaying” as part of the ritual.

“The coming months of Slaypril and Slay,” he joked in an email. “Thank you for enrolling. Welcome to an 8-week exercise in debauchery.”

At school, Labrie was a popular student, was captain of the soccer team and rowed, had a radio show at WSPS, and worked at the school newspaper. He also earned a full scholarship to Harvard University and had hoped to attend its Divinity School. Not long after his arrest, Harvard pulled the offer and scrubbed Labrie from all its online student information.

The jury of nine men and three women, as well as 14 alternates, received the case at just before noon on Aug. 27, and deliberated for a little less than 10 hours.

Earlier this month, St. Paul’s School attempted to allay any fears for incoming students that might be hearing about the sexual assault case. Michael G. Hirschfeld, the head of the school, sent information to students and parents outlining all of the school’s policies and safeguards it had in place.

“We do not tolerate conduct that is at odds with our commitment to a safe and welcoming environment for everyone in the St. Paul’s School community. Current allegations about our culture are not emblematic of our School or our values, our rules, or the people who represent our student body, alumni, faculty, and staff.”

Caption: Owen Labrie in Merrimack County Superior Court; St. Paul’s School in Concord. Credit: Jim Cole, pool photographer