Tyell Morton is an 18-year old high school senior, who got arrested over a senior prank. He entered the Rushville Consolidated High School building with his hood pulled up, to hide his identity from the security cameras, and a package under his sweatshirt. The package contained an inflatable doll, which he placed in the girl's bathroom. He was then seen on the security camera leaving the building without the package. The school officials reviewed the tape after Tyell was seen leaving the school by a maintanence worker. The Indiana State Police bomb squad was called in and students were not allowed to enter the building. Police cleared the scene, found the doll, and classes resumed. Tyell admitted to officials that he was the one who placed the blow-up doll in the school, as a prank. He was charged with Institutional Criminal Mischief (a class-C felony) and Disorderly Conduct (a class-B misdemeanor). If convicted of these charges he faces 2-8 years in prison.

Schools and law enforcement are taking "zero-tolerance" policies too far. This is an 18 -year old kid who has never been in any kind of trouble before, facing prison time for a prank. He was held in jail with a $30,000 bond and not allowed to graduate. We do not believe, in this case, that the punishment fits the "crime".

Please help us tell the Rush County Prosecutor's office that we think these charges are excessive, Tyell should be graduating from high school and starting his life, not facing charges that could change his life forever, over a blow-up doll.