Teens Arrested in Assault of Mentally Disabled Man
Source: ABC News
Two Delaware teens were arrested and charged with assaulting a mentally disabled man after they complained to police about being harassed when a video of the victim being attacked was posted to social media, authorities said.
The teens' personal contact information was shared online with the video. The Newark teens, 13 and 14, were arrested Saturday after they and their parents went to police headquarters to complain about threatening phone calls, New Castle Officer Tracey Duffy said Monday.
The two boys were charged with offensive touching, assault of a vulnerable adult, and conspiracy. They were released on bonds of $2,500 after being arraigned. Their names were not released.
Duffy said their complaints triggered an investigation that led to police finding and viewing the video, which shows a 26-year-old mentally disabled man being body-slammed to the ground, stomped on and repeatedly punched in the head.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/del-teens-arrested-assault-posted-online-25343309
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I'm sick of this shit.
Hate crime:
A hate crime is a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias.
For the purposes of collecting statistics, Congress has defined a hate crime as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offenders bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.
Hate itself is not a crimeand the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes/overview
NB: I wrote this identical response to the story of teens who dumped urine and feces on an autistic kids head saying it was part of an ALS Bucket Challenge, and the gang that at the Kroger in Nashville that pulled a kid out of a car and beat him and then drug two Kroger employees into it.
This is ridiculous.
Exultant Democracy
(6,594 posts)If Americans didn't have such a boner for vengeance we might get considerable better results from our justice system.
If we look at one of the civilized countries, you know the ones that use logic and utilitarianism to make choices about where to allocate resources, you would never find a justice system that would treat these kids like adults.
Every statistic I have ever seen says that their approach which focuses on rehabilitation rather then punishment is better for everyone in the long run.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Nobody is more compassionate than me, some of my kids are still friends, and I changed careers about ten years ago.
These particular kids are habitual offenders, possibly living under worse conditions at home than they would have in a well operated facility.
The recidivism rate for kids who are ever locked up is above 90%, as is the estimated rate of learning/cognitive/emotional disorders, diagnosed and undiagnosed.
Unless and until the outside environment is drastically improved, they are better off locked up.
Fix the outside and we might not have to be so severe, but until then they need to be removed from society.
I'll add that the parents should probably investigated as well, they are more often than not part of the problem:
"They're still trying to pinpoint the actual number of assaults and the number of people," she said.
Investigators believe the first attack happened sometime in July, with the most recent a couple of weeks ago. Duffy said the victim was treated for a non-life-threatening injury after one of the attacks, but she declined to provide details.
The relationship between the victim and the attackers was unknown. Duffy said the victim lived in the same apartment complex as one of the juveniles arrested Saturday.
Exultant Democracy
(6,594 posts)I fail to see who trying them as an adult will get a reaction even close to the utilitarian system in countries that think before they punish.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Then we would have an entirely different situation than we do.
Implicit in my reply above is that the "outside world" needs fixing.
Give us your education and health support system and some of the other more nurturing features of Norway's culture and we wouldn't be having this conversation.
In fact, I'd argue that we wouldn't even have read about this crime because it wouldn't have occurred in Norway.
Diclotican
(5,095 posts)NYC_SKP
Then it is maybe time for US to learn something from other countries - when it come to social services - education - and probably change a few values down the road too...
Even if our health care support systems have it share of hiccups - and mistakes is being made all the time - I suspect our system works well to help the ones who are in need of it.... But as all systems sometimes people fall true the cracks - and it is no way perfect...
But I guess it is better than to not have anything in place - for people who are in need of help
Diclotican
nomorenomore08
(13,324 posts)for it, considering the brutality of the crime.
*Edit: At 13 and 14, I agree they shouldn't be charged as adults. But they need some serious time in juvie.
samsingh
(17,601 posts)I have no tolerance for morons who hurt innocent people and animals.
shenmue
(38,506 posts)Mean people suck.
How hateful can you get??
Oh and the parents only went to the police because they were receiving threatening phone calls ? Am I reading that correctly ?
Double wtf
WI_DEM
(33,497 posts)who was doing the bucket challenge will be found.
Dopers_Greed
(2,640 posts)Lock them away before they grow up and run as Republican candidates.
TygrBright
(20,771 posts)olegramps
(8,200 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)"Sixteen-year-old Angeliz Marrero, of New Castle County, told WPVI-TV in Philadelphia that she reposted the video"
jillan
(39,451 posts)think people with special needs have feelings!
We are all the same inside no matter what we look like on the outside or how well we score on intelligence tests.
I cannot handle all of the hatred toward humanity.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)They put it on social media and probably got a lot of high fives for it. No one should kid themselves. They're proud of what they did.
$2,500 bail and set loose, might as well give them their 'get out of jail' for life card now. Them and all their little pals who won't be punished either.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)Stargazer99
(2,599 posts)Culture or home environment told these kids it was ok to harm the "not perfect" or vunerable...this is a spiritually sick nation