Hypnotist principal avoids jail with plea deal

VENICE - A former high school principal is now on probation and will have to do community service for illegally hypnotizing students.

Tuesday, George Kenney, former principal at North Port High School in Sarasota County, pleaded "no contest" to two counts of Unlawful Practice of Hypnosis.

"We are certainly acknowledging that the state has evidence that they could use to prove these charges in court," said Mark Zimmerman, Kenney's attorney.

Prosecutors said Kenney likely placed about 75 people under some type of hypnosis but didn't have a license.

"He's a trained educator; he's not a hypnotist," said Art Jackman, Assistant State Attorney. "He should've been referring the students and staff to trained professionals."

Controversy swirled after one student he hypnotized committed suicide. Wesley McKinley, 16, died a day after a session in April.

Kenney's attorney, Mark Zimmerman, said the educator's aim was to help students and athletes.

"By all accounts, F-CAT scores went up, SAT scores went up, fowl shooting percentages went up," Zimmerman said. "That was his goal; that goal was achieved."

Standing next to Zimmerman, Kenney spoke briefly, apologizing to those at his school for the bad publicity this has caused for all of them.

"I'm relieved this is over and my family and I can move on," he said as he voice shook.

Judge Phyllis Galen imposed two consecutive terms of six months probation for the charges and a total of 50 hours of community service.

Zimmerman said if the case went to trial it would've been long, expensive, and under the watchful eye of the media. It was a process "Dr. Kenney did not wish to go through," according to his attorney.

"We had a road map for what the trial would've looked like," Zimmerman said. "We were going to attack the consitutionality of the statute."

The Florida statute states you can not practice or engage in therapeutic hypnosis unless you are under the direction or supervision of someone who's trained to do it.

Jackman said prosecutors took into account Kenney's clean record and his "well-meaning intentions."

"As far as we're concerned, the case is over now," Jackman said.