Girls return to school after threats

The Sequatchie County High School freshmen were charged in January with conspiracy to commit criminal homicide.

School officials had found a ?hit list? in a trash can that included the names of the president, Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and the Energizer bunny. They first considered it a joke, but authorities then found the girls? online MySpace pages and postings with the word ?kill.?

The school was shut down while police and agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service investigated.

Authorities found no evidence of weapons or an imminent attack, but the girls were removed from school and told to take classes off campus. They appeared in Juvenile Court on May 10 and returned to school Friday.

The six were ?very apprehensive? about being back among their peers, but so far have had no problems, School Principal Tommy Layne said Wednesday.

Charges could be dismissed against three of the students if they meet conditions set by the judge, according to a court official. The other three face a June 21 trial date.

Rob Philyaw, lawyer for one of the girls, said he couldn?t comment on the case since a trial is pending.

?I hope this whole situation is resolved for everybody concerned, including my 14-year-old client,? Philyaw said.