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Bail Set for Teens in Video-Taped Beating Case
Last Modified: Friday, April 11, 2008 at 8:59 p.m.
BARTOW | Eight teens arrested in connection with a video-taped beating appeared before a judge today to hear the new, upgraded charges against them and to be given bail amounts.
- No Beating Case 'Hoopla' At Mulberry High School
- Videotaped Beatings
- Video: Sheriff Discusses the Beating
- Video: Beaten Teen's Parents Speak Out
- Video: Beating Suspects - First Appearance
- Audio: 911 Call from Video Taped Beating Case
- Affidavits - Teenagers Charged as Adults
- Affidavits - Teenagers Charged as Juveniles
- Gag Order Documents
- Photo Gallery: Beating Case Court Appearances
- Victoria Lindsay's Statement
- Witness' Statement
- Suspects' and Victim's Statement
- High Bail Set For Beating Case Suspect
- Notice Filed to Sue Judd Over Inquiry Remarks
- House Arrest Lifted for Beating-Case Teen
- Teens' Interviews Shed More Light on Beating Case
- Judge Grants Beating-Case Teen More Freedom as She Awaits Trial
- Defendant Names Aggressors in Videotaped Beating
- 3 Cleared In Beating Incident
- Charges Dropped Against Three in Teen Beating
- Suspect in Beating Must Keep Mum on Case
- Teen Beating Suspect Can Get Job, But Can't Talk
- Suspect Wants to Discuss Beating
- New Video Documents More of Beating
- New Video in Teen Beating Case
- Beating Suspects Given More Freedom
- MySpace Profile In Beating Case - Whose Is It?
The charges were changed Thursday, and they made their first appearance Friday before County Judge Angela Cowden, who set bail on them at double the amounts normally set for the charges they face.
Six girls are accused of luring another teen, Victoria Lindsay, 16, to a Highland City home so they could film her brutal beating. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has said the girls were upset with Lindsey over comments she made on the Internet.
They are accused of threatening to post the March 30 video-taped beating on two sites, YouTube and MySpace.
Seven of the eight are younger than 18, but are now being charged as adults. The six girls are April Cooper, 14; Britney Mayes, 17; Kayla Hassell, 15; Brittini Hardcastle, 17; Cara Murphy, 16; and Mercades Nichols, 17. The other two are Zachary Ashley, 17, and Stephen Schumaker, 18, who are accused of acting as lookouts during the attack.
Cowden said bail on the kidnapping charges at $30,000 for each defendant, double the normal $15,000. Six received $1,000 bail on battery charges, and two, Hardcastle and Cooper, received $5,000 bail on that charge. Three defendants, Mayes, Hardcastle and Nichols, received $2,000 bail on witness tampering charges.
As they appeared before the judge on video cameras from the Polk County Jail, most of the girls tried to shield their face with their hands from news cameras. Some hid behind their long hair. Ashley shook his head through the majority of the reading of his charges.
If they are released on bail, all will be on what is considered house arrest conditions, and they are banned from using the Internet forums, including MySpace and YouTube, and they are forbidden to have any contact with each other, the victim or victim’s family members.
They also cannot have any contact with Mulberry High School, where all six defendants and the victim were students and Lindsay and at least one other girl are cheerleaders.
Lindsay’s parents said they were withdrawing her for the rest of the year and that she would be homeschooled. The others were automatically withdrawn from school when they were charged with felonies.
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Comments
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April 11, 2008 12:37:42 pm
RE: Read the article
Who's going to home school her the mailman? The parents had little to do with her then.
April 11, 2008 12:57:27 pm
They'll have a tutor come in for the child and a teacher for parenting skills for the momma.
April 11, 2008 1:23:15 pm
There are 4 that might be seniors.. If they are, what a way to end their high school days.. Wonder if any have/had any scholorship possibilities?? Bet they are down the drain if they had any..
When will children realize everything they do like this follows them thru the rest of their lives???
April 11, 2008 1:25:50 pm
These teens are the ones responsible for this beating.....They were the ones that beat Victoria like they did....don't try to blame other people ..........
April 11, 2008 1:34:09 pm
Too bad they did'nt start homeschooling her years ago. This is a good example of why people homeschool their children. To get them away from the scumbags in the schools and what the non-christian school teaches.
April 11, 2008 1:45:15 pm
You don't think their family history has any bearing on their actions? The PARENTS are the ones that teach you as your growing up, if they are not involved then guess what?
April 11, 2008 1:46:17 pm
What's not included here is that a few of these little beauties were tittering during the proceedings. Yep, just giggle here, giggle there. Hardcastle however was about to cry. Not so willing to be famous anymore, huh? Good, but they're still going to be tried and will be adjudicated for the crimes they've committed.
You know what - I just heard that on the radio - our of Orlando. Just makes me so freaking proud of the youth of today. Now, I'll remove my tongue from my cheek.
Wonderful 'children', eh?
April 11, 2008 2:55:06 pm
Now, now lets be nice...All public school kids are not scumbags..I agree some are though, but usually it resorts back to the parentling they recieve..As for homeschooling, as a mom of 3 kids who homeschool, I do it to avoid the drugs, politics, sexual misc, and the scumbags..Religion is not even a factor here, although all these kids need a little Prayere now as well as the victim and her family..
April 11, 2008 2:56:51 pm
Amen...As I recall the one mother whose daughter resides with Grandma is sticking her nose out there for the media, but she has never even raised her child. I feel bad for the Grandma..
April 11, 2008 3:16:49 pm
Sounds like people want to push blame on parents or Schools...these kids are old enough to know right from wrong and they are the ones to blame. Parents or the Schools would not have changed something that was so well planned out.
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