Audrie Pott's family blames her suicide on the sexual assault and humiliation she suffered at the hands of three classmates after drinking at a house party the weekend of Labor Day 2012.
On Wednesday, the published reports cite sealed court documents that said all three boys pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting Audrie and taking naked photos of her. All three suspects were charged as juveniles.
The reports also said two of the boys were sentenced to 30 days in juveniles hall to be served over 15 weekends. The third suspect was sentenced to 45 days.
"I can tell you that what may not seem like a very serious punishment for an adult can be a very serious punishment for the juvenile justice system," said Christopher Arriola of the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.
Pott's family was advised by their attorney not to comment because juvenile cases are supposed to be confidential. However, they issued a statement: "As much as we strongly disagree with -- and are actively attempting to change -- the lenient privacy laws afforded to juveniles even when they commit as here...heinous acts on an unconscious minor, we can not publicly comment on any aspect of any criminal proceedings involving these young men."
Arriola said his office is working with legislators to make more juvenile justice open to the public.
"Sexual assault of any nature quite frankly is one of those crimes that I, as a parent, would want to know about, that the district attorney would want to know about and right now the law doesn't allow for that and we'd like to see changed," Arriola said.
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A criminal defense attorney, who has worked for Santa Clara University's Innocence Project, said it seems like a tough balance.
"I don't really know how they would balance that out," said Seth Flagsberg, a criminal attorney. "How they would protect the people involved and yet make it public."
