February 19

OUR OPINION: No verdict, but teen-party trial offers lessons

Observers were disappointed if they were looking for a clear winner in the state's case against a Falmouth couple accused of letting teens drink at a party on their property.

Even though there was no verdict, however, plenty of lessons were offered to anyone who was willing to learn.

Barry and Paula Spencer were charged with furnishing alcohol to minors after Falmouth police broke up a party last June.

The jury came back hopelessly deadlocked. The Spencers said they were relieved, but they hardly got off easy. They agreed to do 100 hours of community service and pay restitution.

Going through the embarrassment and expense of a public trial, even without a criminal conviction, is a heavy price to pay, and few parents would want to have been in their shoes.

The lesson parents should draw from this episode is that it is better to be careful than popular.

It might seem like fun to open your doors to your children's friends, but that means being responsible for the decisions made by children you may not even know.

And while teens are not known for the best decision-making at any time, it's even worse when they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

As bad as things were at the Spencers, it could have been much worse.

Underage drinkers are at high risk for alcohol poisoning, drunken driving, homicide, suicide and drowning. A high-profile trial might be embarrassing, but it's much easier to live with than hosting a party at which someone's child was raped, maimed or killed.

The jury's non-verdict shows how complicated it is to try to control the behavior of young people on the cusp of adulthood. They often can seem ready for more responsibility than they can handle.

It's unusual for a case like this to go to trial, but it is valuable for the community to take a hard look at these issues. That happened in this case, so even without a verdict, justice was served.

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