8 teens arrested in beating of girl

[Exslade ZX 0]

POLK COUNTY,FLA---“Shocking - I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Sheriff Grady Judd as he described the video of a Felony Battery that occurred on March 30, 2008, at 6124 West Calendar Court, Lakeland, in which six female juveniles attacked a 16-year-old victim while one juvenile male and one adult male stood outside as “look-outs.” “They lured her into the home for express purpose of filming the attack and posting it on the Internet. This is outrageous behavior.”

 

The victim, a 16-year-old Lakeland resident, was staying at the home of one of her attackers, Mercades Nichols, during spring break. At approximately 8:00 pm, the victim arrived at the residence and was met by Nichols, and Brittini Hardcastle of Lakeland, who both began yelling at the victim and threatening her.

 

The victim went into a bedroom and was met by April Cooper of Lakeland, who began insulting and threatening her. Cooper, who had been hiding, then struck the victim several times in the face, and slammed the victim’s head into the bedroom wall, knocking the victim unconscious as others were videotaping.

 

When the victim awoke, she was on the couch in the living room surrounded by Cooper, Nichols, Hardcastle, Cara Murphy of Lakeland, Britney Mayes of Lakeland, and Kayla Hassell of Mulberry.

 

The victim said it was at that time that all of the suspects began hitting and yelling at her while it was being video taped. At one point in the video, it is plain to see that the suspects blocked the victim from leaving the residence.

 

During the incident, two additional suspects, Zachary Ashley of Lakeland, and Stephen Schumaker of Lakeland, acted as “look-outs” while the attack was occurring.

 

After the attack was over, three of the suspects forced the victim into a vehicle and drove her to another location where she was finally released with a threat from the suspects warning her not to contact law enforcement or she would be beaten even worse.

 

Once at a friend’s home, she called law enforcement and was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center by ambulance for injuries sustained as a result of the beating.

 

On the video, the teenage victim can be seen being beaten while the suspects video taped the crime, laughed, and encouraged one another to hurt the victim. All of the juvenile suspects were transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center without further incident. The single adult, Schumaker was taken to the Polk County Jail. All suspects were charged with Felony Battery and False Imprisonment.

 

Mayes, Hardcastle, and Nichols are the three juvenile suspects who forced the victim into the vehicle and drove the victim to another location. They are charged additionally with Felony Kidnapping.

Copyright 2008 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mkeawhiMqME

 

I suppose as a continuation of the idiots in Wisconsin....how about some of the idiots in Florida. They wanted it to be seen, and now it has, and hopefully they're all taking some kind of punishment for it. Evidently the big thing is whether they should be tried as adults or not. And whenever that comes up, I can't help but think about the kid who was put in jail for doing the wrestling move on the girl, and really, that being an accident was that any worse then this?

 

Thoughts on the video personally, they say she was knocked unconscious previously, so maybe she was out of it (Although she seemed to be at least fairly coherent...) but I don't see how/why she didn't do anything at all to prevent the beating. She didn't swing once, did grab a weapon and stop them, and while she tried going to the door, and was stopped, surely that wasn't the only door in the house, or room even. So the whole beating just baffles me, but that still doesn't stop it from being pretty ridiculous, and just fucked up.

 

[The Metal Maniac 0]

She didn't swing once, did grab a weapon and stop them, and while she tried going to the door, and was stopped, surely that wasn't the only door in the house, or room even.

 

6 on 1. Even if she fought back, and landed a perfect punch that dropped the first girl instantly, she'd still have to do that 5 more times. And those other 5 would now be way more pissed off, and would beat her worse.

[Timmy8271 0]

I love that the media thinks this is some new thing. It happens all the time in high school. Especially among cheerleaders.

[2GOLD 0]

So they did it to put it on youtube and it ends up being broadcast on every news station in the country. So instead, they got more exposure and they got their names out there as well.

 

Can you say

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

I suppose as a continuation of the idiots in Wisconsin....how about some of the idiots in Florida.

 

We're gonna need a bigger server.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

That wasn't that bad.

 

She was still able to argue after being smacked around.

[Exslade ZX 0]

That wasn't that bad.

 

She was still able to argue after being smacked around.

Supposedly that's only 3 minutes out of a 30 minute video though. And evidently she is deaf in one ear, and one of her eyes was messed up. At least I believe I heard that. But I do agree that she seemed to be pretty coherent since she was able to argue, so I don't see why she just took it.

 

6 on 1. Even if she fought back, and landed a perfect punch that dropped the first girl instantly, she'd still have to do that 5 more times. And those other 5 would now be way more pissed off, and would beat her worse.

Of course I wasn't suggesting she attempt to beat up 6 girls, and 2 guys, but seriously, you're jumped, whether it's 6 people or 10 people, and plus it's not like this is just some random mugging on a street, this is by people she knew, in a house she's stayed in before, so she has to know the way out, and you're just gonna take it? You're not gonna fight back?

 

My main thinking, is that there had to be a bathroom or something, where she could have pushed the chick, ran to it, and climbed out of the window. Or bedroom. Or whatever. I just personally can't see, whether there's 6 people or not, you not attempting to fight back. Or get away. (She made one very poor attempt to head for the door, and that was it.)

 

Now, I've never been in the situation, so I suppose I can't say with 100 percent certainty. And like I said it was only 3 minutes out of 30, so maybe she did make more of an effort, but it really didn't seem like it, and if it were me, I can't picture it going down that way.

[dubq 0]

Not everyone (let alone a teenage girl) is as adept at thinking and reacting on the spot like that, especially in situations like that. It's easy to say "why didn't she do this" when you're not the one getting pounded on.

[MFer 0]

Damn...talk about possibly throwing the book at them...

[SuperJerk 0]

Teachers say district fails to act after students hit them

Story Highlights

Report: Teacher says student beat her, video put on MySpace

 

Second teacher says attacks at Baltimore high school not unusual

 

School district administration investigating incident, chief of staff says

 

Union chief meets with principals to develop safety policies

 

(CNN) -- Two teachers at a Baltimore, Maryland, high school say they were attacked by students, and one says such assaults are commonplace, according to CNN affiliate WBAL.

 

The school district says it is investigating and will take appropriate action, but both art teacher Jolita Berry and English teacher Marc Standish say the administration has failed to protect and support them.

 

"I looked over, and her friends were cheering her on. And before I knew it, she hit me in the face," Berry told WBAL after cell-phone video depicting what she said was a student beating her last Friday appeared on the social networking Web site MySpace.com.

 

Individuals in the video are difficult to identify, and no charges have been filed, WBAL reported. Watch footage of the attack in this CNN report »

 

Berry said her principal told her she brought the attack on herself. "On one hand, she told me that she is sorry that this happened to me," Berry told WBAL. "But then she turned right around and told me that telling a student that I was going to defend myself was a trigger word. I triggered them."

 

Berry called the administrative response frustrating.

 

"Too many times this has happened at this school and at other schools, and nothing's being done. No learning place should be this violent," she said.

 

Baltimore City Schools public relations department said it would have no comment beyond a statement issued by Bennie Williams, the district's chief of staff, that says the district has "a fundamental commitment" to keep schools safe.

 

"We take any disruption of the learning environment extremely seriously and respond immediately and forcefully to any disruption. ... We are currently investigating the specific incident at Reginald F. Lewis High School to determine appropriate action. ... We are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness," the statement said.

 

But the problem goes beyond one incident, Standish said. He told WBAL that students regularly issue "very visceral threats" against him. "I just had a couple last week, and it's just everyday routine," he said. Standish said he has filed a grievance with the district through the teachers union.

 

Union President Marietta English met with about 20 principals Wednesday evening to discuss teacher safety. "We really want to implement some policies that principals can follow [so] that teachers won't be having to be afraid to come in their classrooms or come into their schools," she told WBAL.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/10/teache...iew#cnnSTCVideo

 

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Damn...talk about possibly throwing the book at them...

 

Good.

 

I heard when the police were booking these kids, they were laughing about it and saying stuff like "When do we get out of here? We need to go to the mall", and crap. They need to be severely punished.

[MFer 0]

I agree, but it's hard for me to believe that any of them would actually be locked up forever.

 

Oh yeah, and here's the first statement

 

 

[Ripper 0]

That was kinda pathetic. I am suprised she needed any medical care. I mean...that was really pathetic.

 

And thats not a case of thinking quick on your feet. That sat there and argued for minutes while she was being slapped. you go for the door if that ONE chick tries to stop you, punch that ONE bitch in the face and leave. If not, at least you fucked up one persons face.

 

I don't know. that was pretty dumb, but nothing worth throwing the book at anyone over. That barely registers as shocking or overly violent to me. I mean, when she got knocked out(probably by accident), they picked her up and moved her to a couch and waited for her to wake up. that doesn't sound like real violence to me. real violence would have included her still getting her ass kicked while knocked out.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

That was kinda pathetic. I am suprised she needed any medical care. I mean...that was really pathetic.

 

And thats not a case of thinking quick on your feet. That sat there and argued for minutes while she was being slapped. you go for the door if that ONE chick tries to stop you, punch that ONE bitch in the face and leave. If not, at least you fucked up one persons face.

 

I don't know. that was pretty dumb, but nothing worth throwing the book at anyone over. That barely registers as shocking or overly violent to me. I mean, when she got knocked out(probably by accident), they picked her up and moved her to a couch and waited for her to wake up. that doesn't sound like real violence to me. real violence would have included her still getting her ass kicked while knocked out.

 

 

Hasn't she lost one of her eyes and hearing in one ear?

 

As for her not doing anything: as mentioned, maybe she thought fighting back would only prolong it, and if she took it, eventually they'd be satisfied and stop before they did any real damage. Which was wrong, but anyway...

 

I do agree life in prison is a bit much, possibbly not for the ring leader, and I don't think the youger, more impressionable girls should be put in jail for life. They deserve jail time, no doubt about it. But maybe not that much jail time.

[Ripper 0]

What? How do you all look at that and see life in prison? If there was no camera around they would have been hanging out with each other in a month.

 

And she didn't lose an eye or go deaf in a ear. Her mom said she has some blurry vision and some trouble hearing. In other words, she has been in a fucking fight.

 

Shit like this has happened 1000s of times for years. Its a fight. Thats all. No one should be doing life for getting in a fucking fight. If it was a REAL 6-1 beat down and she had serious injuries, then fine, talk about a stiffer fine, but life for some scraps and bruises is ridiculous.

 

that was probably the least vicious fight I have seen. there was no real malicious intent because like I said, they would have FUCKED her up while she was knocked out.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

What? How do you all look at that and see life in prison? If there was no camera around they would have been hanging out with each other in a month.

 

And she didn't lose an eye or go deaf in a ear. Her mom said she has some blurry vision and some trouble hearing. In other words, she has been in a fucking fight.

 

A fight would imply she'd fought back.

 

Shit like this has happened 1000s of times for years. Its a fight. Thats all. No one should be doing life for getting in a fucking fight. If it was a REAL 6-1 beat down and she had serious injuries, then fine, talk about a stiffer fine, but life for some scraps and bruises is ridiculous.

 

that was probably the least vicious fight I have seen. there was no real malicious intent because like I said, they would have FUCKED her up while she was knocked out.

 

Didn't they tell her later if she called the cops she'd be beaten worse? I think they were aware they were in serious trouble and it wasn't just another catfight. I'd also argue against no malicous intent, because just the idea of luring a girl to your house and beating up her up with the idea of putting it on you tube screams malicious intent to me. And there is the whole kidnapping issue, which is what they were technically doing.

 

 

Like I said, I don't think they should all get life in prison, but I wouldn't be happy with them just walking away with a slap on the wrist.

[nl5xsk1 0]

I like how Ripper calls:

 

1) luring someone to a house

2) attacking them and knocking them unconscious by pushing them into a wall

3) moving them to a different room

4) waiting for them to regain consciousness

5) giving them a group beat-down

6) driving them to a different location & threatening them that the next beating will be worse if they notify the police

 

a "fight".

 

that was probably the least vicious fight I have seen. there was no real malicious intent because like I said, they would have FUCKED her up while she was knocked out.

There are shades of grey when it comes to malicious intent; their intention wasn't to fuck her up irreperably or kill her or anything, their intent (and it was malicious in my book) was to beat her and post it on the internet.

 

My first thought when I saw the video: Those girls throw some weak-ass punches. If I was going to film a beat-down and post it on the internet, I'd probably work on my punches before doing so.

 

My second thought: Man, with those weak fighting skills, those girls are going to be some butch's 'wife' about 5 minutes after they shut the cell doors.

[Ripper 0]

I am just saying that the whole case screams the ridiculous pussification of society right now. They didn't beat her up to put it on youtube. They beat her and and then were going to put it on youtube. if youtube didn't exist, they were going to beat her up. It would have been a fight.

 

The cops, the parents and the media are on this whole 'What in the world is wrong with kids today? Its the internets and its bad influence causing this." I think its the stress of not being the prettiest and they have to act out and get attention!!! WHA WHA WHA WHA WHA. The world is so bad.

 

Its that attitiude for this case that is being displayed in the media that is annoying to me.

 

Homework, go find ONE old person over the age of 60 and ask them if they ever got in a fight or if people around them got in fights.

 

A person over 80...90...it doesn't matter. People get into fights. This group of them beat up the girl, yes and they should be punished with some juvie time that it warrents, but come on...LIFE? None of these girls should see more than a couple years of juvie at worse for having a fight.

 

This wasn't even a BAD beating. She wasn't really beat up that badly. I mean, she didn't even have a cut on her. He face was swollen...thats it.

 

And when I say malicious intent, it is obvious they weren't trying to seriously hurt her. First, according to the story, they took turns beating her up. She didn't get jumped. They fought her one on one...all 6 of them. Should it be punished, yes? Was it a horrific gang beating that left her bloodied? No. It was a bunch of yelling, some punches, more yelling, more punches...a fight. No different than the other of 1000's of fights.

 

And honestly why is it everyone randomly gets so shocked over a fight every now and then. For some reason everyonce in a while, this SHOCKING video of some white girls fighting makes major news. Ignoring the thousands of fights that could be found online since the other SHOCKING video.

 

 

[Ripper 0]

I like how Ripper calls:

 

1) luring someone to a house

2) attacking them and knocking them unconscious by pushing them into a wall

3) moving them to a different room

4) waiting for them to regain consciousness

5) giving them a group beat-down

6) driving them to a different location & threatening them that the next beating will be worse if they notify the police

 

a "fight".

 

that was probably the least vicious fight I have seen. there was no real malicious intent because like I said, they would have FUCKED her up while she was knocked out.

There are shades of grey when it comes to malicious intent; their intention wasn't to fuck her up irreperably or kill her or anything, their intent (and it was malicious in my book) was to beat her and post it on the internet.

 

My first thought when I saw the video: Those girls throw some weak-ass punches. If I was going to film a beat-down and post it on the internet, I'd probably work on my punches before doing so.

 

My second thought: Man, with those weak fighting skills, those girls are going to be some butch's 'wife' about 5 minutes after they shut the cell doors.

 

They lured her into the house she was living in? Really?

 

I mean, when you lure someone somewhere, can it reallly be were they were going in the first place? she got home, got in a argument with the girl living there and some other chick, went into the bedroom and had another argument with another girl, they fought she got knocked out.

 

So maybe you are right. Its not a fight. In a fight she would have gotten kicked in the head a few times while down. They definately wouldn't have waited for her to wake up. It was more of a group smacking around by some dumb chicks that thought they were tough.

 

Not saying that these girls are a bunch of saints or that they aren't a bunch of spoiled bitches because of how they acted when arrested. I am saying that sending a 16 year old to jail for life on this is ridiculous. She should be in Juvie until 18, give her another 2 years in real jail and send them on their way.

 

I mean jesus, you can run a toddler over and flee the scene and get less time. THIS is supposed to be so shocking that I am supposed to be in support of life, or hell...10 years is too much, in this case?

 

[nl5xsk1 0]

If it had been a beatdown on the street - even a 6 on 1 beatdown - this wouldn't be a big deal.

 

Even if it was videotaped.

 

But it was premeditated, involved what is legally "false imprisonment" (by not letting her leave) and "kidnapping" (by forcing her into a car and transporting her to another location.

 

I'll fully agree that some people - the Nancy Graces of the world & news-media - are making this into a bigger situation than it is.

 

But by the letter of the law, this isn't a simple beat-down. And it's certiainly not a fight.

 

And if you're going to argue about the pussification of society, Ripper, how about the girls that were so upset that this girl made fun of them on myspace that they had to give her a group beat-down? Someone talks shit about you, you go after them. You don't conspire with your friends for a quasi-elaborate beat-down and a "you better not tell anyone!" threat.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

I agree with ripper that it does warrant a few years in juvi, but not anything more severe.

 

And it does depend on who did what. I really don't think you should take away a 14 year old girl's future for standing around and then throwing a few weak punches. And the victim herself might not even want them in for life: we'll have to hear what she has to say.

[nl5xsk1 0]

They lured her into the house she was living in? Really?

I'll admit that I was wrong ... I'd heard that one of the girls had lured her to the house for this specific beat-down. It blatantly says that it all happened at the house that she was temporarily residing in. Mea culpa.

 

I mean jesus, you can run a toddler over and flee the scene and get less time. THIS is supposed to be so shocking that I am supposed to be in support of life, or hell...10 years is too much, in this case?

How about we increase the time served for hit & run on a toddler instead of decreasing the time for other felonies?

[Atticus Chaos 0]

I think we should remember are dealing with the lives of 6 teenage girls here. They might be spoiled brats but they aren't evil. Really, what is putting them away for life going to achieve? No one's dead, the girl (hopefully) will make a full recovery and while she hasn't made a statement I doubt she wants to see them put away forever either.

 

A few years for the main perpetrators is more than enough. At least then they'd have the chance to turn their lives around and grow into adults that can make a contribution to society.

[Ripper 0]

If it had been a beatdown on the street - even a 6 on 1 beatdown - this wouldn't be a big deal.

 

Even if it was videotaped.

 

But it was premeditated, involved what is legally "false imprisonment" (by not letting her leave) and "kidnapping" (by forcing her into a car and transporting her to another location.

 

I'll fully agree that some people - the Nancy Graces of the world & news-media - are making this into a bigger situation than it is.

 

But by the letter of the law, this isn't a simple beat-down. And it's certiainly not a fight.

 

And if you're going to argue about the pussification of society, Ripper, how about the girls that were so upset that this girl made fun of them on myspace that they had to give her a group beat-down? Someone talks shit about you, you go after them. You don't conspire with your friends for a quasi-elaborate beat-down and a "you better not tell anyone!" threat.

 

Fighting people because they talked shit about you is what kids have ALWAYS done. Hell, there were episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and Leave it to Beaver where Opie or Wally got in fights because so and so said something about them. It was an expected part of america. Now, people get in a fight, we must find the flaws in society that allowed for our children to act in such a way.

 

They are acting like small, immature humans.

 

And according to the cops, they took turns fighting her (well, beating her up since she didn't fight back). So while that is still wrong, its not like it was a jumpin beat down.

 

I understand what you mean by letter of the law, this wasn't just a fight or beatdown. But using technicallities to fuck up a childs life when they didn't even fuck up anyones life is wrong. If they killed the girl, someone lost something, so go for a harsher sentence. If the girl could never walk again, lost her sight, was seriously injured, then go for a stiffer sentence.

 

Her face is swollen. Give them some years in Juvie where they can run into one of these bitches http://youtube.com/watch?v=OOnN7KKCYbM and that will be the end of that. Getting life for a suburb fight is silly.

[nl5xsk1 0]

There you go again, calling this a fight, Ripper ...

 

Fighting people because they talked shit about you is what kids have ALWAYS done. Hell, there were episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and Leave it to Beaver where Opie or Wally got in fights because so and so said something about them. It was an expected part of america. Now, people get in a fight, we must find the flaws in society that allowed for our children to act in such a way.

 

If one of these girls had confronted the girl, I'd have had no problem with it. If ALL of these girls confronted the girl, and only one got physical with her, I'd have had no problem with it. But to get a group together and do it in this fashion? At that point, we're not talking the fights that you & I got in when we were younger, Rip.

 

If this was just a fight - one on one, until someone wins and someone loses - it wouldn't be a big deal.

 

And - for the record - I don't agree with life sentences for these girls. Nor do I want to blame the internet or society or rap music or horror movies or video games or any other scapegoat that the media likes to blame when shit like this happens.

[Ripper 0]

My thing is, it barely counts as a fight to me becaue it was more of some swinging, then talking...a couple of more swings...more inaudible girl screeching about "BUT YOU SAID SHE WAS A BITCH!!!!!" then more open handed swings that didn't hit anything.

 

I am sorry but a one on one fight should do more damage than this SHOCKING BEATING

 

i get what you are saying, the whole 6-1 thing. But once again, there wasn't 6 beating up on one girl at a time. If it was one on one 6 seperate times, that is still fucked up but not exactly the same thing.

 

I do think we are all arguing the same thing though. We are all giving the girls a couple of years in juvie, but anything more is silly, as is the outrage and the I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD EVER HAPPEN. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING SO VIOLENT IN MY 35 YEARS!!! (yes I know he said involving children and a video camera, but I had to edit it out to make a point.)

 

 

 

 

[dubq 0]

You're losing it Ripper.

 

Anyone who tries to justify this by complaining about how she failed to fight back needs to remember the whole part where she received a fucking concussion.

 

..and if you don't get the concussion reference, go look up the side effects of suffering one and maybe then you'll get it.

 

These stupid c*nts deserve whatever they get.

[Jingus 0]

If people are so worried about videos of crime being posted on Youtube, why not just make it illegal to knowingly videotape a criminal incident (and not hand it in to the police)? Of course, the cops and courts would hate that, since these dumbasses who record their own felonious activities make it easier for them to be caught and convicted. But hey, society loves blaming the symptoms as if they're the cause of the problem.

 

Ripper, this wasn't a fight. "She shoulda fought back!" isn't an excuse. First of all, she was living with one of these people, clearly this was some kind of shocking heel turn which caught her by surprise. Then she gets a concussion, which plays havoc with her thinking processes even more. And considering she's a pretty white girl, this very well may be the first time in her entire life that anybody's ever hit her, so it wouldn't be surprising that she'd just freeze up like a deer in the headlights. And on top of all that, maybe she's just such a weakling or idiot that she never even thought about defending herself. If she were capable of fighting back, she would've done it.

 

But still, underage minors getting life in prison for an unarmed beatdown? "Overreaction" doesn't begin to cover it. That's appalling. Give 'em three-to-five, they get out in twelve or eighteen months (and meanwhile get raped a few times as commonly happens in our penal system). If they didn't repent and rehabilitate after that, then a longer sentence isn't going to do them any good either.

[snuffbox 0]

Why couldn't she just throw a few spin-kicks?

[Exslade ZX 0]

Ripper, this wasn't a fight. "She shoulda fought back!" isn't an excuse. First of all, she was living with one of these people, clearly this was some kind of shocking heel turn which caught her by surprise. Then she gets a concussion, which plays havoc with her thinking processes even more. And considering she's a pretty white girl, this very well may be the first time in her entire life that anybody's ever hit her, so it wouldn't be surprising that she'd just freeze up like a deer in the headlights. And on top of all that, maybe she's just such a weakling or idiot that she never even thought about defending herself. If she were capable of fighting back, she would've done it.

Nice.