He's sentenced to serve as example
North man must tell high school students about danger of alcohol
ATTLEBORO - A 21-year-old North Attleboro man was ordered Friday to speak to high school students about the consequences of drinking after admitting to buying a friend rum that ended up in the hands of 17-year-old Taylor Meyer the night she died at an underage drinking party.
Sean P. Flynn, 21, of 269 West St. in North Attleboro, was ordered by Judge Mary Dacy White to speak to area high school students as part of 18 months probation.
Flynn admitted in Attleboro District Court to procuring alcohol for a minor, but the charge was continued without a finding and will be dismissed if he successfully completes probation.
Flynn admitted to buying two bottles of rum Oct. 17 in North Attleboro for his friend, Brian Zuzick, then 20, of 6 Red Coat Lane in Plainville, who police say then gave it to his younger sister, Paige, who was best friends with Meyer.
Zuzick admitted to possession of alcohol at arraignment Friday and was found guilty and fined $50, the maximum penalty for the charge. He was never charged with giving the booze to his sister. In sentencing Flynn, the judge rejected separate sentencing recommendations by the prosecution and defense and imposed her own order after admonishing Flynn.
White, the mother of underage children who have friends who are of drinking age, told Flynn, "I know exactly what's going on."
She added: "It's an issue we parents are dealing with, with our children. You need to go out and tell these kids in high school, who think it's a joke, about the consequences of alcohol."
Prosecutor Jessica Lennon recommended the maximum penalty of one year in jail, with 10 days behind bars and the balance suspended for a year with probation.
Lennon said Flynn was present with Zuzick when his sister made the call requesting alcohol and said the purchase set in motion the chain of events that led to Meyer's death in a swamp near the former Norfolk Airport.
"Alcohol abuse was a contributing factor in her death," Lennon said.
She said Flynn was on probation for leaving the scene of an accident prior to the incident and had previously had a vandalism case continued without a finding.
But Flynn's lawyer, John J. McGlone III of Quincy, requested that the case against his client be continued for one year without a finding with probation.
After buying the booze, McGlone said Flynn placed the rum in the trunk of a car driven by Zuzick's 21-year-old girlfriend. The woman, according to court records, refused to buy the alcohol for Zuzick's sister.
Unlike all the other youths questioned in the investigation of Meyer's death, McGlone said Flynn cooperated with police and told them all that he knew. He said Flynn was part of the search party that looked for Meyer, who wandered away from the party and was later reported missing, and found out from Zuzick the night of Meyer's wake that she had been drinking the rum he bought.
Flynn, whose father grew up with Meyer's mother, Kathi, was "devastated" about the tragedy and later gave a tearful admission to Kathi Meyer when she called about what he knew, McGlone said.
While others were given promises of no prosecution by Norfolk and Plainville police or invoked their constitutional rights against self-incrimination during the probe, McGlone said Flynn cooperated with police and admitted his role.
"He fully cooperated from 'day one'," McGlone said, adding that his client has since sought professional treatment for depression and is continuing with that counseling.
He noted Zuzick was fined $50 and 14 other youths involved in the party that evening have avoided criminal prosecution, while Flynn was left to take the brunt of the punishment.
"It's a tragedy all around," McGlone said. "No matter what we do here, we can't bring Ms. Meyer back."
Last month, 14 youths, including Paige Zuzick, were placed in a diversion program in Wrentham District Court. The program requires the youths to participate in alcohol counseling and perform community service.
He's sentenced to serve as example - The Sun Chronicle Online - News
