New London - The fallout from the Nov. 30 arrests of six local teens on murder charges continued at the high school this week when a student showed up in class wearing a sweatshirt bearing pictures of the defendants.

Superintendant Nicholas A. Fischer said the student, who knew the six teens, was "visibly upset" in class, and a teacher suggested that she go to the office and talk to somebody. The school has provided psychologists and social workers to help students cope with the news that six of their friends are accused of murder or accessory to commit murder.

"We brought that student in and connected that student with a psychologist so they could talk about what they were feeling," Fischer said. The school contacted the student's parents and asked them what they would like to see done about the sweatshirt, he said.

"They said they would like to see the sweatshirt either covered up or taken off," Fischer said. "And that's what happened."

Matthew Chew, 25, was fatally stabbed on Oct. 29 as he walked the two blocks from his job to his apartment in downtown New London. Police said the six teens attacked Chew without motive.

Some of the defendants had previously attended New London High, and all were well known to students. When the teens were presented in court for arraignment on Dec. 1, an estimated 70 to 80 young people showed up in support. Some had skipped school to be there.

Lonnie Braxton, a juvenile prosecutor and member of the Board of Education's truancy committee, went to the high school to speak with Principal Tommy Thompson about the absentee students.

"As a parent, knowing how young people behave, it just came to me that there would be kids there missing school," Braxton said. In his experience, he said students with poor attendance do not become successful adults.

The principal went to the courthouse and took down names.

"We did follow up with the parents of those young people who were students," said Fischer. "Several of them were not. We made it very clear that we don't consider that acceptable behavior. Given that things tend to get communicated by word of mouth, we feel we have made it clear that it is not appropriate."

Courtroom tension

Superior Court Judge Kevin P. McMahon warned the spectators that they would be thrown out if they misbehaved. The court had called in state troopers in anticipation that there would be a large, emotional crowd.

McMahon, who has been on the bench for 17 years and who was a state prosecutor for 13 years before that, said he has never "seen so many people so intensely into the day's proceeding from 8:30 to 4 p.m."

The atmosphere was tense all day. As the last of the six defendants, Brian Rabell, was presented before McMahon, some of the teens started shouting and chanting for Rabell's release. They were quickly ushered out of the courtroom and off the property.

"I was absolutely dumbfounded at the eruption that happened in court," McMahon said. "I was disappointed. For days after, I would think about what that meant."

After the crowd left, McMahon said a few friends of Chew approached him to let him know they had been there all day but were afraid to identify themselves.

Braxton, the prosecutor, said the issue of students skipping school to support their friends in court would be discussed at the next meeting of the truancy committee.

"That was a very, very sad and painful day for all of the citizens of New London," Braxton said. "I can't tell you how many people approached me to express their sadness and disgust, from one end of the political spectrum to the other, and from one end of the economic spectrum to the other."

Braxton said he wishes the community could find a way to make something "really good" come out of the incidents of teen violence that have been taking place over the past nine to 10 months. He also said that New London is not the only community that is affected. He said students from all over the region know each other.

"If there's six degrees of separation in the world, there's two degrees of separation in this little corner of Connecticut," he said. "If you doubt it, check your child's Facebook. Check your child's cell phone."