From The Arizona Daily Star, 4/4/06:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/123050

State senator's son, 2nd teen admit 'brooming'

By Stephanie Innes
ARIZONA DAILY STAR

PHOENIX --

The son of state Senate President Ken Bennett admitted in court Monday
to assaulting middle school boys with a broomstick in their rectal
areas, but a judge allowed charges against him to be reduced from 18
to one, and he may avoid jail.

Three of the 18 victims, all boys between the ages of 11 and 15, are
from Tucson, and the families are angry that 18-year-old Clifton
Bennett and co-defendant Kyle Wheeler, 19, were not charged with
sexual assault.

Also, the families said Bennett is being treated favorably by the
court system because of his father's position in the Legislature.

Bennett's plea would allow the court to classify the
aggravated-assault conviction as a misdemeanor, which means he could
go on to become a teacher or counselor and would never have to
disclose the so-called "brooming" incident.

Bennett and Wheeler pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in court
Monday. Bennett pleaded to one count and Wheeler to two.

"I think he got a sweetheart deal," said the father of one of the
three Tucson victims, a 12-year-old boy who attends a local Catholic
school.

"I'd like him to get a year in prison. The victims should have been
heard from before the plea was agreed to. If this was 18 girls who
were victims, it would have been sexual assault."

Ken Bennett and his family would not comment Monday.

The senator and his wife were in court throughout Monday's hearing.

Bennett and Wheeler are scheduled to be sentenced on May 12 in either
Phoenix or Prescott. Monday's hearing took place in Phoenix before
Judge Thomas W. O'Toole in Maricopa County Superior Court.

O'Toole took the case after two Yavapai County judges recused
themselves.

The maximum term for each aggravated-assault count is two years in
prison, but probation also is possible.

Police reports say the assaults took place at Chapel Rock Camp in
Prescott during a weeklong camp for school leaders in June.

Witnesses told police that the junior counselors lined up the
youngsters, told them to bend over and "broomsticked" them.

The boys told police "broomsticking" was done alternately with a
broom, a cane, a mop handle and a heavy-duty flashlight while they
were clothed.

"If these were two kids from South Tucson without money or
connections, they would never have been offered this deal," said Lynne
M. Cadigan, a Tucson attorney who is representing two of the families.

Stephen Carrigan, a Houston lawyer representing another 12-year-old
victim, said it was unfair to his client to consolidate the charges
from 18 to one.

Bennett read a statement to the court in which he admitted the
brooming and said he did it with the intention of insulting them
through humiliation.

"I know I personally broomed a number of the campers. I know I
personally restrained a number of the campers. I now know this was an
assault under the law," Bennett said. " 'Brooming' was the name given
for the practice of poking a camper, while clothed, in the area of the
butt. A broom handle, a cane and a flashlight handle were the objects
used. I know all of the campers were broomed at least once."

___________________________________________________________

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/members/kbennett.htm

State Senator Ken Bennett
Republican -- District 01

CEO, Bennett's Oil Co. 1984 - Present
Arizona State Board of Education, 1992 - 1999 (President, 1998,
1996)
Education Leaders Council, Washington, DC 1995 - Present
Arizona State Charter Schools Board, 1994-1996
Governor's Task Force on Education Reform, 1991-1992
Prescott City Councilman, 1985-1989 (Vice Mayor 1988)
Boy Scouts of America; Eagle Scout 1973, Scoutmaster 1993-1996
Prescott Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, 1991-1993


Harry