Who was Jase Emily? Family sues school and sheriff after teen kills himself over arrest and expulsion for possessing vape pen
CHARLESTOWN, INDIANA: Jase Emily, a 15-year-old boy from Indiana, tragically took his own life subsequent to an arrest and expulsion stemming from the discovery of a vape pen containing marijuana in his locker. Now, his family has initiated legal action against the school district and sheriff's office, asserting that the teenager's civil rights were violated.
Jase Emily, an active member of the school's football team, died a mere three days after his arrest within the premises of his school on May 20.
Why was Jase Emily arrested?
According to the arrest record, the police reported that Jase was found in possession of a vape pen that tested positive for marijuana, with the specific brand of pen containing an 83% THC level.
His mother Elyce said Jase experienced profound humiliation when he was handcuffed at school and taken to the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center.
She revealed that she was not informed of the incident until he was already on his way to the detention center.
According to Grayson Funeral Home, Jase, born on November 3, 2007, in Louisville, KY, was the child of Jason and Elyce Foley Emily. He found joy in playing video games and indulging in music.
When was Jase Emily arrested?
Jase Emily's arrest transpired on May 17 after authorities discovered a vape pen containing marijuana fluid in his locker, as detailed in WHAS 11's report.
Furthermore, his family insists that the punitive measure of expulsion, which resulted in his inability to participate in his beloved football team, was an unduly severe response that did not correspond to the gravity of the offense.
Jase’s mother Elyce said, “Finding out he wasn’t going to be able to play the next year, it was rough for him.”
She continued, “And it didn’t hit us of what that might do to him until after he was gone.”
Which school did Jase Emily attend?
Jase Emily was a student of the Charlestown High School, a public school located at 240 Medford Street in Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts.
The family's legal representative, Gordon Ingle, contends that both the Greater Clark County School District and the Clark County Sheriff's Office exceeded their jurisdiction by conducting a search of the 15-year-old's locker and subjecting him to interrogation.
“We don’t believe they had probable cause to check his locker,” Ingle told the local outlet.
The representative continued, “They did a criminal investigation and they talked to him, which is a violation of the law because before you can talk to a juvenile, you have to give that juvenile the chance to have meaningful consultation with someone, in this case, a parent.”
“This was just police overreach if there ever were any,” he added.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Emilys, squarely accused both the school district and the sheriff's office of wrongly arresting and detaining the teenager, contending that his constitutional rights were violated.
The school district, as detailed in its student handbook, explicitly prohibits any form of illegal drug use on campus, including the use of vape pens and e-cigarettes.
