Sodomy witnesses come forward

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA — Wayne County District Attorney Mark Zimmer indicated last week that cooperation has been forthcoming from witnesses and from Mepham High School officials following the service of subpoenas from the investigating grand jury and the September 26 hearing before the Nassau County Court Judge Donald E. Belfi.

An incident last August at Camp Wayne for Girls in Preston Township during a football camp in which three older football player sodomized three younger players using a broom stick, pine cones and golf balls was revealed to Pennsylvania State Police and Zimmer’s office in early September.

At that time, Zimmer was encountering resistance from witnesses and school officials.

“I have been contacted by witnesses and lawyers for witnesses who have now expressed their desire to cooperate,” Zimmer said in a statement. “Hopefully, more people will now come forward with information. The Pennsylvania State Police investigators in conjunction with the Nassau County Police have gathered a great deal of information and we have been assured that more is coming.”

The Mepham High School is part of the Bellmore School District on Long Island.

The case is receiving wide attention in the New York City media.

Based on the recent information by witnesses and on their lawyers’ assurances that they will now appear before the Honesdale grand jury, Zimmer agreed not to require these individuals to appear on September 30 for the purpose of being sworn in as witnesses.

New dates are being arranged for the various witnesses to appear.