The New Hampshire Supreme Court issued a decision affirming the conviction of a prep school graduate who was convicted in 2015 of using a computer to lure a girl for sex and assaulting her.
Owen Labrie, of Tunbridge, Vermont, was acquitted of raping the 15-year-old classmate at St. Paul's School. But he was convicted of the felony computer charge — requiring him to register as a sex offender — and two misdemeanors. He was sentenced to a year in jail, and has remained free on appeal.
[ Official: St. Paul's wanted to protect itself ]
A message seeking comment was left with Labrie's lawyer.
Labrie's lawyer argued prosecutors failed to show Labrie's emails and Facebook messages to the girl showed he intended to have sex with her. The state argued Labrie's intentions were clear since he was reaching out as part of a tradition called "Senior Salute," a sexual conquest competition.
The opinion, issued on Nov. 6, affirmed Labrie's conviction by a 3-0 decision. The court disagreed with the defense's arguments.
A second appeal pending for a claim of ineffective counsel is scheduled to be heard at oral arguments on Nov. 28.
[ Exclusive boarding schools face reckoning on sexual abuse ]