Monday, Sep 21, 2009 03:55 PM

Two teens to avoid charges after vandalizing McKelvin's lawn

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Two 16-year-old boys will avoid criminal charges for spray-painting an obscenity on the front lawn of Buffalo Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin's home following the team's season-opening loss last week.

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Instead they will perform 120 hours of community service.

Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita said Monday that McKelvin told investigators he did not want to see the boys prosecuted after they admitted being the vandals.

Sedita says based on McKelvin's wishes, as well as the suspects' age, lack of a criminal record and their willingness to perform community service, prosecutors decided not to bring charges.

The message and obscenity were painted on the lawn in the suburb of Hamburg shortly after the Bills' 25-24 loss at New England on Sept. 14.

McKelvin was partly blamed for the loss in which the Bills squandered an 11-point lead in the final 2:06.

After the Patriots scored to cut Buffalo's lead to 24-19, McKelvin was faulted for not taking a knee in the end zone on the ensuing kickoff. Instead, he ran the ball out and had it stripped from his hands. The Patriots recovered at the Bills 31 and scored the decisive touchdown three plays later.