Circuit Judge Marc Lubet sentenced Boyce to five years of
probation. Lubet also chose to withhold adjudication, which means that Boyce
will not have a conviction on his record.
Boyce’s “no contest” plea was part of a deal he struck with
the state attorney’s office of Ninth Judicial District of Florida. Prosecutors
agreed to drop the second-degree manslaughter charge against him, which would
have carried up to 15 years in prison.
The ex-head drum major said that Champion had requested his
permission to go through the “Crossing Bus C” ritual the entire marching
season.
Boyce explained that he declined to grant Champion the
go-ahead to complete the ritual until after the last performance of the year (November
19, 2011) because he was afraid Champion might be injured so seriously that he
wouldn’t be able to march.
According to an Orange County Sheriff’s Office report, Boyce
and fellow drum major Shawn Turner said that they tried to help Champion make
it through the hazing gauntlet on Bus C and touch the end of the vehicle (which
would satisfy the objective of the process).
“Shawn Turner and Jonathan Boyce were helping Robert
Champion, pulling his right arm while others were pulling in the opposite
direction trying to pull him away from the rear of the bus,” Detective David A.
Phelan wrote. “Shawn Turner and Jonathan Boyce pulled as hard as they could and
snatched Robert Champion away from the crowd. Once Robert Champion touched the
rear of the bus, everything was over. Robert Champion said he was tired and
asked for some water as he sat at the rear of the bus and the beating had
ceased.”