Published: March 17, 2008 10:47 pm         

Court drops hazing incident charge against Cherokee student

A felony charge of indecent exposure filed against an 18-year-old Cherokee High School student was dropped by the court Friday during a hearing.

Levi James McHenry was charged with the felony in November for the alleged role he played in a hazing incident in Septem-ber that occurred in Cherokee before a football game.

“The felony charge did not stand,” said Alfalfa County Assistant District Attorney Westline Ritter. “There will be a misdemeanor filed.”

McHenry was accused of holding down a 15-year-old boy while another boy, 16, exposed his genitals and placed them on the face of the 15-year-old, according to charges filed Alfalfa County District Court.

According to an affidavit prepared by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Agent Chuck McAnarney, on Sept. 7, 2007, McHenry “coerced” another boy “into exposing” himself as McHenry held the 15-year-old boy down on his back on a bed.

None of the court documents state McHenry exposed himself during the incident.

Ritter said her office will re-file a misdemeanor charge against McHenry “within the next few days.”

McHenry’s attorney, Tim Gungoll, declined to comment.

Two other Cherokee High School students were suspended for 20 days for their roles in alleged hazing incidents in July 2007 at a Frontier Public Schools basketball camp in Noble County.

They had been suspended for a year, but the Cherokee school board reduced the suspensions.

No charges were filed in that case.