The Cape Cod community was rocked after a racist incident almost left a Black teen dead. Now, more than a year after the shocking attempted murder, the teen responsible is facing justice.
John Sheeran was only 14 years old when he and another Mass. teen bullied a Black kid to the point of near death. The Root previously reported two Cape Cod teens, including Sheeran, threatened to throw rocks at an unnamed 15-year-old Black kid while calling him racial slurs.
Things escalated when the victim then put on a life vest and informed the other boys he couldn’t swim before they all hopped into Goose Pond in Chatham, Mass. It was then that Sheeran grabbed the boy and repeatedly held his head under water while the other white teen laughed and began calling him “George Floyd”— a reference to the 2020 murder when Floyd’s final words, “I can’t breathe,” were caught on video.
After the July 2023 incident at the pond, Sheeran was charged with attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to WCVB. The teen pleaded guilty to the crimes late last year, the New York Post reported. And now, a judge has handed out his sentence.
“I cannot undo what happened, but hopefully this resolution will bring the community closure and comfort,” Barnstable District Court Judge Sylvia Gomes said, according to the Cape Cod Times. With his guilty plea, Sheeran will not serve any time in jail.
On Wednesday (Feb. 5), the now 15-year-old was sentenced to serve probation and 723 hours of community service, according to the Cape Cod Times. Additionally, Sheeran will have to attend an online educational class and formally apologize to the victim in the form of a letter. The judge also told Sheeran to stay away from the victim, including on social media.
According to the agreement, if Sheeran reoffends before Feb. 4, 2028, he will be taken into custody until he is 21 years old. The boy’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, argued the Black teen was not a victim, pointing out that the two Mass. boys were “friends” leading up to the near-death experience, the Times reported.
“I question the justice system in this case significantly, but I’m very pleased with the probation,” Reddington said. He also referred to Cape Cod District Attorney Robert Galibois as a “puppet master,” claiming he incited the case against his client, Sheeran.
According to Assistant District Attorney Eileen Moriarty, the victim’s family chose not to attend Sheeran’s court hearing. Instead, they submitted a victim impact statement, but it was not read in court.