7 Beating Suspects Plead Not Guilty

Seven of the suspects in the March 30 beating case have entered pleas of not guilty, the State Attorney's Office said.

The eighth suspect, Stephen Schumaker, 18, is expected to plead at a hearing Tuesday, spokesman Chip Thullbery said.

The other suspects include Mercades Nichols, 17, April Cooper, 14, Brittany Mayes, 17, Brittini Hardcastle, 17, Cara Murphy, 16, and Zachary Ashley, 17, all of Lakeland, as well as Kayla Hassall, 15, of Mulberry.

Each face kidnapping and battery charges. Nichols, Mayes and Hardcastle also face a third-degree felony charge of tampering with a witness.

The Sheriff's Office has said that the six girls beat 16-year-old Victoria Lindsay and recorded the attack while threatening to post the video on YouTube and MySpace as the two boys stood watch outside. In a three-minute video released by the Sheriff's Office, Hardcastle is seen yelling at and pummeling Lindsay while some of the others scream and urge her on.

All the teens have been charged as adults.