The prosecution on Wednesday did not take a position on the defenses request. Some people may be able to give 12 hours a day to the cause, and that is great for them and you, but my life is outside of YEA! You have permission to edit this article. Board of Directors Resigns, New Board to Guide Organization", "Former drum corps director George Hopkins charged with sexual assault", "Finding no resignation letter, YEA board fired Hopkins with no severance", "DCI action on YEA! money, and members. There was an error processing your request. Charges were filed against Hopkins in November 2018, months after Youth Education in the Arts launched an investigation after about a dozen women accused Hopkins of sexual misconduct. Hopkins, 61, has not been charged and denies criminal wrongdoing. They wanted to shed a light on his behavior and for him to have a criminal record, he said. Success! Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? In a no-contest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but concedes that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. It said it was reaching out to Youth Education in the Arts, and also planned an internal review to see whether any current members of the DCI staff knew about the allegations and failed to report them. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. READ MORE: Nine women from Allentowns elite Cadets drum corps accuse director George Hopkins of sexual abuse and harassment. In an online post last year, Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear by those who disagreed with his management. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. [15], In response to Hopkins suing YEA! She told police that she passed out in his apartment and when she woke up, Hopkins was gone. Now, she told Hopkins, who stood a few feet from her in the courtroom, she feels stronger than ever. After the allegations surfaced, Hopkins resigned in April and was then fired by a new board of directors. He resigned from his post in early April amid sexual assault allegations, but the YEA board said it was firing Hopkins. Rescue operations underway as Wyoming blizzard continues to wreak havoc, Applications open for nonprofit 1-cent funding, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Gordon discusses importance of focusing on Wyoming solutions, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities. I want the victims to know that what you did was horrible beyond description, the judge said. First, I want to thank you for the opportunity you have afforded me in this role. ", She said she didn't file a rape report or inform the board of directors because Hopkins seemed "untouchable.". As one of the only returning baritones, he was offered the section head spot by Jackson but turned it down I thought I didnt deserve it.. Fine time to ask me now. Follow More from Medium Mark. You need complete concentration on everything you do because if you dont, you could get someone else hurt or you can hurt yourself, Calhoun said. On Friday, October 6, 2017, 10:08 PM, XXXX XXXX XXXX@XXXX.com wrote: This letter is to inform you of my resignation as Director of USBands, effective immediately. His credentials, his experience, his talents, his imagination, and his intellect are formidable. Currently semi retired, while creating Act 2 of life. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps who was accused of sexual misconduct by nearly a dozen women, pleaded no contest to indecent assault and was sentenced to two years probation in Lehigh County Court on Thursday. I dont know a single person who marched drum corps and didnt have complaints.. In July, he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. Drum and bugle corps perform intricate routines that incorporate music, marching, dance and color guards. The City of Erie welcomed The Cadets with open arms, offering access to local business relationships, services, volunteers, and new opportunities for funding and partnerships. It comes from the higher-ups, it comes from the admin, it comes from the board of directors, it comes from the staff, the caption staff, the people that are in charge of putting on the show. "He's like, 'Are you all right?' How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? The former, longtime director of the Allentown Cadets competitive marching band entered a plea Thursday in a sexual assault case dating to 2018. George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. For those of you who do not follow the drum corps news, George Hopkins recently resigned as the director of the Cadets because of sexual misconduct allegations from nine women. Edwin Garrity of the Holy Name Catholic parish in Garfield, New Jersey founded the Holy Name Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 1934 as an activity for the boys in the parish. During training, 150 members aged 14 to 22 rehearse for 12 hours a day, on their feet from morning to night. 39K subscribers in the drumcorps community. As presented, the Cadets did turn to Black renditions of the Cadets uniforms at the end of 2015. Drum Corps International, the sanctioning body for competition youth drum corps events, said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned" by the allegations against Hopkins. YEA! Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. . Hopkins earned about $177,000 in 2017, according to the nonprofit's financial statements. Anthony warned Hopkins that if he violated any conditions of probation, he could be sent to a state prison. The Troopers Alumni band open during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field Friday evening, July 12, 2019. "I just kept saying no, don't do this, I don't want to do this," said Marie, who said she went by her middle name at work. On November 13, Hopkins was indicted in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania for sexual assault, based on accusations of two women who are former employees of YEA. won with field programs that were, and still are, viewed as ground-breaking. [7] Later that day, Hopkins stepped down as director of The Cadets and YEA! Its clear from the video that its been edited, and that the Inquirer has chosen to show only portions of the interview, he said. In a no contest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but concedes that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. Prosecutor Matthew Falk, the offices chef deputy district attorney, said Beyer, the woman in the allegation dating to 2008, decided that not pursuing these charges are in her best interest, and we support her in that. The victim in the 2010 assault has asked not to be named. It wasnt rape, and it wasnt sexual assault, Bergstrom said. participation in 2018 Summer Tour", "Cadets to forgo west coast portion of 2018 tour", "Ex-director of Allentown drum corps enters plea in sexual assault case", "Former Allentown Cadets band leader pleads no contest to indecent assault; judge calls him 'disgusting', "Drum corps seeks $1.5 million from former director after sexual misconduct scandal", "George Hopkins, YEA settle civil suit regarding compensation", "The Cadets Announce Independent Not-For-Profit Youth Organization", https://cadets.org/cadets-announce-move-erie-pa, https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/48381432/erie-sports-center-to-become-permanent-home-for-the-cadets-drum-corps, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Cadets_Drum_and_Bugle_Corps&oldid=1139537566, The Sinfonians by Clifton Williams / Give it One by, Advance of the Sponges by HIGGINS / Left Bank Express by Pete Jackson / Pieces of Dreams by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman / Echano by Chuck Mangione / Strawberry Soup by, Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson / In Nomine Patris, Almighty Father, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, God Said, De Profundis, Part 2 & A Simple Song, Maria, Rumble, Prologue, America, I Have a Love, & Tonight, Jeremiah Symphony, Overture to Candide & Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide), I Dreamed A Dream, At the End of the Day, Look Down, On My Own, Attack on Rue Plumet, Bring Him Home, One Day More & At the Barricades, In the Spring, When Kings Go Off to War; Ballet Sacra & On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss, Dance at the Gym, Mambo, Cha-cha, Cool, Prologue/Rumble, A Boy Like That, Tonight & Finale, The Reivers, Born on the 4th of July, Blowing Off Steam (from Far and Away), Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) & Land Race (from Far and Away), The Promise of Living (from Tender Land) by Aaron Copland / Tulsa: A Portrait in Oil by, Tapestry Of Nations, Prologue, Chaos and Meaning, The Sage of Time & The Promise, History Repeating by Alex Gifford / White Rabbit by, Rumble, Prologue, A Boy Like That-I Have A Love, Cool & Tonight, Symphony No. In 1937, the corps song, "O Holy Name", was written for the corps. The charge to which Hopkins pleaded no contest stemmed from a woman who said she was sexually assaulted in 2010. separated from YEA and became the nonprofit Cadets Arts and Entertainment Inc. Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Two more women say they were raped by George Hopkins, bringing to 11 the number who have accused the former drum and bugle corps director of sexual misconduct. established a hotline for calls to report concerns or complaints.[11]. Not just for [the victim], but for all the women who are taken advantage of by predators like you, the judge said. George Hopkins, longtime director of the Cadets drum corps, resigns after sexual misconduct allegations April 6, 2018, 7:20 AM The decorated director of The Cadets drum and bugle corps. Please know, you lose many, many GREAT people because of the reasons I listed and more. The negligence comes from a lot of places, Connell said. Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. After a great experience his first year, Calhoun said he was looking forward to coming back in 2017, even as some changes in his personal life took a toll on his mental health. Former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins has settled a civil claim with the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts, regarding compensation. Youth in Education in the Arts has issued a second statement on Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins' resignation that came after a Philadelphia Inquirer article on sexual allegations. Hopkins, George. (A similar group of Midwestern corps, the Midwest Combine, was formed by the Blue Stars, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Santa Clara Vanguard, and the Troopers.) She said he showed up at her apartment one morning, begged her for sex, then pushed her on the bed and raped her. It took a summer without performances, said Connell, for people to step back and realize that what they thought was tough love was actually systemic negligence. [9] Claiming to have received no letter of resignation, the new board terminated Hopkins for cause. In February 2023, CAE announced a long-term partnership with the Erie Sports Center, resulting in a decision to move The Cadets and all operations of CAE to Erie, Pa. In 2003, Yea! George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. reached a settlement in January 2019. The Troopers initially denied wrongdoing, but later issued a statement apologizing for its defensive posture after facing a social media backlash. You have permission to edit this article. The Casper Troopers perform during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field Friday evening, July 12, 2019. She told police that she passed out in his apartment and, when she woke up, Hopkins was gone. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors withdrew two charges of felony sexual assault and added the indecent assault count, a misdemeanor, to which Hopkins pleaded no contest. In the criminal case, prosecutors alleged Hopkins, of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, sexually assaulted a former employee at his Allentown apartment, after they met at a bar to discuss drum corps rules. Defense in sex assault case wants newspaper to hand over accuser's video interview, George Hopkins' defense attorney wants access to the Philadelphia Inquirer's unedited video, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. [10] The organization also hired a Chicago labor and employment law firm, Franczek Radelet, to investigate the accusations against Hopkins as well as YEA!s policies and procedures for providing a safe environment for youth members, employees, and volunteers. But even after he was let go, Connell said he was still allowed around corps members who knew what had happened and had reported him to the administration because he was the organizations connection to the housing site where they were staying. The story of George's van trip to Mississippi and Louisiana Please subscribe to keep reading. On Wednesday, he told Lehigh County Judge James Anthony that the Inquirer has refused to provide the full video. Most of the time, the individual is NOT an assistant but someone who would like to assist. In addition, YEA! After roughly a month of trying to leave, Calhoun said he finally did it in July, cutting his touring season short. It carries the same weight at sentencing as a guilty plea. In an online post last year, Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear by those who disagreed with his management. 93 (Mvts. Vicki Ferrence Ray, Interim Executive Director of CAE, subsequently signed an agreement to make the Erie Sports Center The Cadets' year-round home. In my opinion, its impossible to march drum corps and not be broken in some way when you come out, because its a very rigorous physical and mental activity, said Calhoun, a former baritone. I felt so used.". I wholeheartedly believe in the mission and vision of YEA! Youth Education in. Their biggest resource in that effort may be the very people who are speaking out. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets drum and bugle corps who was accused of sexual misconduct by a dozen women, pleaded no contest on Thursday to indecent assault and was sentenced to two years of probation. Its credits include the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, President Barack Obama's first inaugural parade, a reality TV show and "Late Night with David Letterman.". Als u niet wilt dat wij en onze partners cookies en persoonsgegevens voor deze aanvullende doeleinden gebruiken, klik dan op 'Alles weigeren'. [2][3], In 1958, the Holy Name parish declined to support the corps' travel and disbanded the corps. George Hopkins, who led The Cadets to renown and a slew of national and world championships, stepped down from the Allentown-based group after Philly.com reported Thursday that nine women had accused him of sexual harassment or abuse. Hopkins needs Help From George Hopkins . But I never said yes," said Linda Riley. Wij, Yahoo, maken deel uit van de Yahoo-merkenfamilie. Marching as the Cadets of Garfield; wearing uniforms of white shorts, red golf shirts, and "Aussie" hats; and using instruments borrowed from the Chicago Cavaliers, the corps managed to finish in second place (one spot ahead of the defending champion Cavaliers). There was a problem saving your notification. The women are among roughly a dozen connected to the Cadets organization who say they were sexually assaulted by Hopkins dating back to the 1980s. What is clear ---I need an assistant. We could soon find out, A windy, cloudy Saturday for the Lehigh Valley, but the sun will come out tomorrow, Six years after hazing death, Penn State plans to drop the Greek life oversight it championed. [13] The corps' compliance with the terms of probation was sufficient for DCI to allow the corps to compete in 2018, and the probation was lifted in May 2019. Midway through the 1959 season, the parish allowed the corps to once more wear the uniform that remains their trademark. In a high-profile case that came to light in 2018, a former director of the Allentown Cadets was accused of sexual misconduct ranging from verbal harassment to rape by 12 women, several of them former corps members. The only ones that thought it was the kiss ass GH puppets/groupies/cult members. Shes four years removed from the corps now, and married. Marie J DiDomenico Dont listen to them Steven, its the guard. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. With no 2020 drum corps season, Cadets Arts & Entertainment focused its attention on establishing clear policies, strict safeguards and strategic committees that meet regularly to help guide The Cadets forward. "Dear George Hopkins, This letter is to inform you of my resignation as Director of USBands, effective immediately. An order filed Tuesday in federal court says Hopkins and YEA have reached an agreement. for more than $650,000 in severance and back pay, the organization filed a counter-suit against the former director for $1.5 million in losses which it alleges to have lost due to the sexual misconduct scandal.
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