Damascus football player charged in locker-room assault will be tried as a juvenile, judge rules

ROCKVILLE, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The first of four Damascus High School football players originally charged as an adult for allegedly using a wooden broomstick to sexually assault teammates in a locker room will be tried as a juvenile, a judge ruled on Friday.

The teens are accused of "brooming" their teammates, and a clinical psychologist testified that the 15-year-old defendant said he'd been a victim of "brooming" when he was a freshman at Damascus High School.

The defendant said he thought it was a tradition.

The 15-year-old is the first of the four teens initially charged as adults to go before a judge and argue that his case should be heard in juvenile court instead.

Ultimately, the judge agreed, citing a variety of factors including the defendants' age and the recommendation from the department of juvenile service, which said this case should in fact be heard in juvenile court.

A fifth player was charged as a juvenile. He pleaded guilty to third-degree sexual offense and was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, sources told FOX 5.