8 arrested in taped beating

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Proving once again that a lot of teens are idiots comes this story from Polk County, Florida.

16-year-old Victoria Lindsay was lured to a ‘friend’s’ house where six other girls were lying in wait. When she got there she was attacked by most of the girls while someone recorded the beating so they could post it to MySpace and YouTube in order to embarrass her. Two male suspects kept watch while the beating was taking place.

The 16-year-old suffered a concussion, eye injuries and several bruises.

The suspects were identified as 17-year-old Mercades Nichols, 17-year-old Brittini Hardcastle, 14-year-old April Cooper, 16-year-old Cara Murphy, 17-year-old Britney Mayes and 15-year-old Kayla Hassell. Zachary Ashley, 17, and Stephen Schumaker, 18, were identified by deputies as the lookouts.

And of course one of the ‘parents’ has to play the ‘not my kid’ card.

“They weren’t really involved, I don’t know. I’m just overwhelmed by all of it. I don’t know why the girls have them involved,” said Debbie Shumaker, Stephen’s mother.

No, they actually were involved, That’s what’s called being an accessory and I’m not talking about fashion.

All suspects face charges for false imprisonment and battery. Three of them were charged with kidnapping because, the sheriff’s office said, they forced Lindsay into a car and drove her to another location after the beating.

No word yet if they’ll be charged as adults but they should be.

Thanks to my lovely and talented wife Jade for the tip.

Comments

86 responses to “8 arrested in taped beating”

April 8, 2008

MOI

HATEFUL, LOSER !!! U SHOULD BE CHARGED AS AN ADULT AND SIT IN JAIL WITH YOUR LOSER FRIENDS. THEN LETS SEE WHO GETS THE BEATING !!!

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April 8, 2008

Trench

As far as hateful losers go I’m not the one who beat a girl and taped it in order to post it on YouTube.

Last time I checked kidnapping was a federal crime.

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April 8, 2008

BW

I love how a group of teenagers has such easy access to an empty house and a car.

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April 8, 2008

pav

What amazes me is that PARENTS will take up for their children when they do something wrong. They can see it on tape and still they will NOT believe their little baby did such a thing! I find these kids to be evil and their parents are at fault. I know kids are not perfect. I have 3 kids and I also work with children. I hear parents like this daily! If one of my kids do wrong I let them know I love them but they do NOT get by with it, I will NOT take up for them, and I will not bail them out. TOUGH LOVE. I dont say NOT MY BABY!! NEVER!! If i were to see my 13 year old doing somthing this awful I think I would be a beliver for sure. It would be hard to say that she did wrong on national news but it would be harder to say NO SHE DID NOTHING WRONG and look stupid because the whole world would see that she did wrong. 17-year-old Mercades Nichols mother looked just plain stupid on MSNBC with her standing up for her little angel baby. She stuck her nose in the air and made it sound like her daughter was innocent but she was just at fault as the other children. Her daughter should be ashamed and she should crawl into a bag and hide from the world!!!!!!! SHAME ON THESE KIDS!!!!! SHAME ON THESE PARENTS!!!!!!!

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April 8, 2008

brittany

all i’ve got to say about these nasty little childish girls is….How does it feel to be the one who’s scared now? i bet you all get your ugly butts kicked in jail and i hope you do. thats what you deserve! Because you all made the one girl so scared for her life, and now YOU need to be scared now because you have more then six girls against you for what you did to her!!

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April 8, 2008

Mike

They better try all those brats for adults. Unfortunately the parents will be able to seperate these monsters and each of their lawyers will be fighting for a juvy case.

The nerve of these brats as they sat in jail laughing about it and not even feeling any remorse. One had the nerve to ask if she was going to be able to make cheerleading.

I hope they get kicked out of school, I hope this is on their tried as adults and on their record forever. I truely hope they find it close to impossible to get accepted to a great college or even find a job due to a sweet kid napping charge.

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April 8, 2008

Nancy

You can view their mugshots online. Take a good look at them.

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April 8, 2008

Dave

I only have to say … Who’s going to be whose bitch now!!! Enjoy being someone’s bitch girls

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April 9, 2008

pav

if you check out Mercades Nichols in myspace it will sicken you!!! She is an evil little girl who says the F word all over her myspace and she even has a picture of her mom HIGH ON DRUGS!!! Take a look and we all will know why she acts the way she does….THANKS TO HER MOM!!

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April 9, 2008

Cady

If I was that policeman and heard them laughing…I think I would have slapped all six of them to the ground. The NERVE of them and their parents! I wish a responsible adult would have walked in and caught that little Brittany girl by the arm and beat her senseless too. As for all those stupid kids saying that they were cool and usually very nice: Lies.

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April 9, 2008

Kate

I cannot believe the things I’m reading about this entire thing! There is NO excuse for what these girls did! They should be punished &amp they should be punished as adults! If they were old enough to pull this entire scheme off in the first place then they deserve nothing less than being put away after being tried as adults. This entire scandal sickens me! Mercedes MySpace profile is beyond disturbing! Not only is it insulting to different races, gays &amp such but she has an entire banner saying she hates Victoria Lindsay! These girls have no hearts! Not ONE of them stood up during the entire 35 minutes that this girl was in a ball being beat to try to help her! None of them were human enough to realize what an awful act they were commiting &amp they should all be sent away. When they get to prison they’ll be making a lot of enemies with the mothers &amp grandmothers there. I hope each &amp every one of them gets what they gave &amp more!

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April 9, 2008

Cheryl

I could never work with the children who committed this crime.. or their families. I’m very biased. I hope the punishment will fit the horrible crime.

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April 9, 2008

Susan

My God, all of these “little girls” are FAT. Fat and jealous. They are disgusting and when I was a cheerleader, pigs weren’t aloud on the squad. Maybe Miss Fattie Britney should concentrate on losing that tire around her belly rather than hating on pretty little girls. I can’t wait until they give this pig a record as an adult. She has only proved that she is ugliness outside matches her fatty inards. Britney Baby, nobody cares if you think you are a bad ass. And beieve me, people are gunning just for you. SIx against one? Yeah, that seems about right…

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April 9, 2008

Susan

Britnay Mayes…Queen of the fatties. Hey, I thought cheerleaders were required to walk without waddling? Lol! I have never seen a such a chubby nasty cheerleader! I have got to get ahold of her cheerleading pictures! I guess it was slim pickings in Polk County, Florida! I imagine if you put her in a uniform poeple would think it was a joke! My God, she is so ugly.

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April 9, 2008

Lisa

Brittney I know a name of a great fat camp that takes care of the MORBIDLY OBESE! LOL. Maybe they will make an exception eventhough you are wayyy over there standards. You could be a special case. YOU ARE PATHETIC AND SO IS APRIL COOPER…

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April 9, 2008

Erin

WHITE TRASH… ALL OF THEM&gt THEY ARE ALL FAT AND DISGUSTING. Did you see their pictures? They wouldn’t last a second outside of inbreed Polk County. They think their hard in a group? What until they are caught alone…I am looking forward to that…and posting that. LOL.

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April 9, 2008

Trench

Enough SusanLisaErin, I’m not fond of her either but you’re attacks have nothing to do with the matter at hand. Welcome to Ban City, Population: You.

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April 9, 2008

Eric

Hmmm, my post got deleted. Shocker. Still taping yourself beating up another person and then posting it has to be one of the top winner for the Darwin Awards.

Treat them as adults. That’s what they want to act like, that’s what they should be treated as.

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April 9, 2008

anonymous

i guess when they say KARMA IS A BITCH EVERY HUMAN SHOULD LISTEN. now what those stupid girls did was wrong, and i hope they get theirs in prison, BUT BUT BUT im sure the victim thought she was hard as hell on her myspace. the moral here is what goes around comes around, the victim didnt deserve to get pummelled but apparently she did because of what she posted on myspace. Now lisa and Susan i agree with u both, the chicks are quite unattractive but bashing them like that well, isnt that what LIndsay probably did in the first place?

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April 9, 2008

TEX

I agree they are most definitly a product of social darwinism and those bottom feeders need to be tried as adults and be put in prison. I think they need to skip going to a juvenile correction and send them staright to the big house. they knew exaclty what they were doing but were stupid enough to tape the incident and get caught (for hopes of embarassing the Lindsay girl)….well bitches whose embarassed now?!?!?!

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April 9, 2008

Ashley

I have an opionion I go to school with all these gurls well most IM from mulberry high. All I can say is not all the parents have something to do with this. I no because i have been close friends with april cooper til this Year she changed herself. Not her parents and me and kayla have been friends but not close to eachother. I no alot of this is sorrow I feel so bad for Tori! She never deserved a beating but. I also no these girls got what they deserved

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April 9, 2008

Kitty

I hope all these animals and their parents rot in hell.

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April 9, 2008

troy

mercades myspace page look at it. she thinks she’s a black thug, lol.

her mom must know how her daughter talks and acts.

as for the fat girl, well yeah, she’s jealous of victoria, as happens in high school. but on mercades myspace victoria had left a message months ago about what a great friend she was was, etc. with one of those myspace chain letter things.

as for the guys what they should get is a year in a juve facility.

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April 9, 2008

Anna

hi! U no i would start custing at u but i’m only 9 and i have good parents and i’m a good child so u no what suprises what an idiot u and your friends are because i hate selfish losers!!!!!!! u r not a very good friend i’m guessing u r a big fat loser but i bet u can’t even spell loser because if u could and if u were smart u would be calling your self that and u just displeased the Lord but if your willing to beat up a young girl u probably don’t even no who Lord is so your price will be paid when your in Hell with satan and i’m laughing so hard i’m crying! feel free to reply back see ya would’nt wanna be ya!

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April 9, 2008

Brandi

these bitches disgust me.. all of em.. i hope they get there ass beat in jail.. and i hope they stay in there.. and wen they get out.. i hope they get another ass wooping! all the disgusting things that happen in jail.. shuld happen to them! stupid whores!

and what are all there myspace links? I wanna see what these nasty punks look like!

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April 9, 2008

Unknown Pissed Off

These girls and their two little boy friends are all so vile and disgusting I almost hate to waste comments on them. I am not sure when teens decided the best way to deal when a myspace bulletin was a ambush, but if any parents can blame a website they are wrong….their little brats already had it in them, a website millions use for for doesn’t turn me into a violent gang member. The parents are also insinuating that their thug children are also to stupid to think for themselves and capable of no higher order thinking than reacting to a comment or bulletin. Which they have indeed proven. There is no excuse whatsoever for any of these trashy cheerleaders and their friends to be tried as anything but adults. They made adult decisions, they reacted, planned, manipulated and decieved, they knew exactly what they are doing and must be punished as severely as possible. I think a good long long sit in prison would do them all just fine and then maybe a nice criminal record when they finally do get out to follow them around. SHAME on you white trash girls.

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April 9, 2008

Gin Collins

I think their parents didn’t teach them about Karma. Those bitches are gonna get what they deserve!!!

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April 9, 2008

Breanna

I think its fucked up what these girls did! I hope they get their asses kicked in jail! They deserve to suffer for what they did! As for their parents… I think they are at fault also and why would you sit there and stick up for your child after what you saw on the tap…

some parents just have not grown up yet!

as a teen myself I wouldn’t even be as low as them to do what they did. I guess it just comes to show i was raised by parents who care!!!!

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April 9, 2008

Anna

Wow are u serious u beat up a girl well now i’m laughing just think everyone hates u i mean there custing at u and u might go to jail but laughs on u now because 1. Everyone hates u 2. everyone hates u and #3 u just displeased god but if u r willing to do that u don’t no him so keep it up so i can watch u crash and burn oh! by the way your other friend, Brittany tell her i didn’t no it was ok to waddel instead of walking

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April 9, 2008

Jimmy

Apparently Victoria’s hearing is damaged, and so is her vision. I know I’m not the authoritative figure but I seriously hope they burn. What’s more disgusting is the parents who blindly defend their kids, some lady on youtube was right, I WAS ashamed of being part of this generation, this so-called “future,” after watching that video. But Youtube and Myspace can’t be blamed, just poor parenting and utter lack of judgment on the children’s side. Ha, they wanted to be famous, well now they’ve got their home addresses and phone #’s posted all over youtube comments. Enough attention for those bitches?

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April 9, 2008

Amanda

Do you think this is the first time something like this kind of violence has ever happened? It’s never acceptable and never appropriate, but this demonstrates the failure of the individual, the parents, and society as a whole. We are no better than the teens who committed this crime when we form a lynch mob to harm them. The group should be punished, but I can’t help but wonder how our own actions as adults will affect their lives. It’s easier to form a lynch mob now than it is to take time to teach a young adult to act like an adult.

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April 9, 2008

Brittany

ill tell you whut, i dont kno whut the hell this world is cominq 2 these days. the main qirl that beat the livinq hell out of victoria .. somebody needs to hunt her ass down and show her whats its like to get her ass beat !! kids think its oh so funny to record somethinq and put it on myspace, but its really not. I bet if somebody held that bitches ass at qunpoint, she really wouldnt think its funny anymore !!!!

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April 9, 2008

whatevaaaa

hahaha SHUTTTT THE FUCK UPPPPPPP the bitch deserved it, (a), and (b) the only reason this got attention is because those dumb asses recorded it. I’ve seen girls beaten to a pulp and no one ever gets in trouble for it… All you stupid soccer moms need to get off the internet and keep your opinions to yourselves because this isnt the first time a beating has taken place and it certainnnnlyyyyy isnt the last. They didn’t even fuck her up that bad and clearly the girls dont care so keep your day jobs cause you aintttt savin the world today dumb hoes

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April 9, 2008

Cheryl

Regardless of what may have inspired such behavior from these kids.. the damage has been done. It’s sad, and getting the crap kicked out of you shouldn’t be an expected part of growing up.

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April 9, 2008

YoMama

Dear whatevaaaa:

You are worthless, so do us all a favor and kill yourself soon!

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April 9, 2008

Ani

I don’t think anyone has learned their lesson. I’m as outraged as everybody else but people shouldn’t steep to their level. Making unnecessary insults and telling them to “kill themselves” basically branches off of bullying.

Isn’t that what we’re so outraged about in the first place? I hope these girls get what they deserve but we should be above all these stupid insults.

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April 9, 2008

Peggy

I read her blog titled,”Bitch” and in it she says,”Once an abuser always an abuser is what I always say”. Isn’t that ironic???
I’ve posted the following all over because this isn’t an isolated incident, it’s happening all over people.
This really hurts me deeply. It is akin to the murder of my brother last year by three punks, one of which was his nephew. They caught him on the phone and attacked him with a bat-like stick, he was unaware, he didn&rsquot stand a chance. They beat him into a stupor. They stabbed my brother repeatedly after beating him &amp kicking him, they slit his throat then beat him in the side of his head until the side of his face caved in, then they pissed on him. One boy was 16, the others 17 &amp 20 at the time.
These little punks deserve to die for what they did. They buried him in the edge of the grove in a shallow grave and for 4 1/2 months we suffered wondering if we&rsquod find his body because we knew he was dead. He would never go more than a few days without contacting us.
In some cases neglect makes a child hardened but not in all cases. When a kid reaches a certain age they know right from wrong and we can only hope their conscience won&rsquot let them take it as far as these boys did.
I hope these kids get a stiff sentence. It hurts to see this because of what happened to my brother, I hope the girl is okay.
The trial for my brothers killers hasn&rsquot taken place yet, we&rsquore still trying to get the third suspect from Canada. They kept the third suspect out of the papers until they caught him.
He has a virtual memorial, if anyone is interested. Please go look and sign his guestbook. We&rsquore all still having a really hard time dealing with this and it would mean alot to me and my family.
The address is: virtualmemorials.com
His name is: Morgan Willis

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April 9, 2008

Cheryl

I agree with Amanda and anyone else who’s said that stooping to the same level won’t solve the problems… and this happens a lot. I hear about parents who go on myspace and harass the kids who are bullying their child.. etc. Megan Meier’s suicide wasn’t so long ago…and if we remember.. it was an adult who used myspace to create drama in that situation.

I’m sorry, but myspace is a tool… social network… public forum.. communication medium… which means people have to act in a socially responsible manner the same as we would on the street.

“The greatest weapon in the hands of a fool is a pen”… but these days it’s a keyboard. Any tool has the potential for great good or great harm depending upon who’s using it.

I’m tired of people who want to blame the internet, YouTube, myspace, etc. for the such things that happen. It’s people who drive these actions, and it seems like we just want an easy answer sometimes. There is no easy answer or quick fix.

For every social networking site that’s shut down.. several more will appear in it’s place. The challenge will be helping children.. and adults.. be responsible enough to use these communication tools as they were intended to be used and not to hurt other people.

Some teens might not be ready to handle that yet, so it’s up to the parents to set limits and teach the values. What we see reflected from some of these pages on myspace and other networking sites freaks me out a little.. but as others have said here.. this isn’t the first time kids have resorted to violence. The problem goes a lot deeper than the internet.

-END DIATRIBE-

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April 9, 2008

Cheryl

“I’m all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let’s start with typewriters”- Frank Lloyd Wright

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April 9, 2008

Toni

I hope those girls don’t get away with this with just a slap on the wrist. That poor girl can have severe damage for the rest of her life. I really feel bad for her and her family

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April 9, 2008

Eric

Dear whatevaaaa:

You got NO guts. You’re spineless, you’re weak and you’re a keyboard “bully” with no balls. It’s too bad you don’t have the guts to actually post your real name (again, see “gutless”) but that’s what we’ve come to expect on the Internet, gutless, ball less, spineless little fuck monkeys that would piss their pants in the face of a real challenge.

Oh, did I mention you’re gutless?

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April 9, 2008

Susan

I think that we needs laws that make participants of mob beatings face stiffer penalties. Persons involved in mob beatings should be tried for assault with a deadly weapon (mobs are deadly weapons), or even, attempted murder, since mob beatings can go as far as murder. They should get automatic long prison sentences with no possibility of parole. We, as a society, need to find a way to curtail this horrible violence in which the victims don’t stand a chance for defending themselves.

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April 10, 2008

Larry

I guess them teens are finding out what it was like to be the raw meat in the shark tank.

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April 10, 2008

Mark

I was in that boat once but not nearly that bad of a beating. Society just don’t need another wolf pack, of preppy little cheerleaders. Looking to create the next viral video, from the blood of others. They need to be removed from society and locked in a cage, for the next 40 plus years. JAIL THEM in general population PERIOD. As for the two junior security guards at the door. Society don’t need them ether, JAIL them also. Their future should consist of a cage to guard, and maybe the opportunity to expense life as a woman man. Society simply don’t need trash like this looking to make it big on youtube.

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April 10, 2008

FUCK YOU

GO TO HELL BITCH! LOOOOSER FOR LIFE!!!

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April 10, 2008

Anonymous

(1) Mob beating: These violent girls were so *weak* that they had to gang up on *one* girl. Unfair, unAmerican, total losers.
(2) Legal consequences: imprison for lifer without parole recommended.
(3) Parents of the losers: Blame yourselves. With proper attention and education, your kids would have used more civilized. Blaming mySpace makes you also losers. It is like blaming a wall for graffiti. Do not be ridiculous. If you want to save your children, discipline them and turn them around and ask for forgiveness.

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April 10, 2008

Anonymous

Although losers, these girls and two guys need fair trial. Please do not assasinate them on the street. There are things you can do: Call your congressmen. Help make the law that punishes this kind of crime more severely. Make sure you are swearing at the right person when you make an angry call. Make sure you identify the person on the phone is actually the bad guy.

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April 10, 2008

Johnson

40% of the people responding communicate at a third grade level. It’s no wonder these kids are messed up. It seems most of the new internet generation kids are morons. Yes i b a morun 2.

“I know you too.” not “I no u 2.”

Stop making up uses of the comma.

Adding eeexxxtra letters to make a point is absurd.

“Whut” Is it really that hard to type “what” ?

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April 10, 2008

Re: F%#K YOU

I don’t care if your a LOOOOSER FOR LIFE!!!. If you want to be a LOOOOSER that’s your right to be one. But I think if found guilty they should get the MAXIMUM penalty . Nothing should be held back in the penalty phase if found guilty. Just because they are preppy little cheerleaders. Don’t mean that they are to cute to serve hard time, or pay yrs of restitution for physical damage, medical bills present and or future. Lets not lose track of what they are accused of doing to an unarmed person. After driving her head into a wall and rendering this person unconscious. Then lets not for get forcing this person into a car against their will. With more threat’s of physical harm. Please keep in mind that this young lady has a concussion loss of hearing and loss of sight in one eye. All to make a popular youtube video!. Now if found innocent of all charges then they should be set free and go about their lives. I personally think they should be jailed for life. For the simple reason they did not care what kind of harm be it permanent or temporary, they do to people simply to make a video!. JAIL THEM !!!!!!!

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April 10, 2008

RE:above

Did you use ill formed punctuation because you were in a hurry or because you are not sure how to use it properly?

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April 10, 2008

BigDaddy

Hey whatevaaaa,

You are a sad example of what is wrong with our society. I feel really sorry for you and bad for our future.

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April 10, 2008

bowhunter

If GOD was in thier life they would not have done it. that’s the problem with the world today, We’ve let them take GOD out of the schools and out of the Pleadge Of Allegance. these kids parents need to be more strict and use a Belt instead of time out. were to afraid of getting sued rather than making our kids mind. this is due to us as americans letting others tell us how to raise our youth. i also think if you want to live and be an american you should put it before your other nationality ( American European) for Example. we need to stop worrying about other countries kids and strart in own country. p.s. scott you need find a church and JESUS.

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April 10, 2008

Jason

I will keep this short and to the point. I certainly hope your anus takes a few vicious beatings during your stay in prison….

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April 10, 2008

Anon

Bowhunter, just for the record, the words “under god” were added to the pledge of allegiance during the McCarthy era in the 1950’s. They were not part of the original. I would be very happy if those two words were removed, so that I could bring myself to utter the pledge without a break toward the end.

In the English language, standard adjectives rarely, if ever, come directly after the modified word. For example, the sentence “The runner fast” is incorrect. The proper form is “The fast runner.” Similarly, in the term “American European” the word “American” modifies the word “European” to mean a European of American descent. I could, with some effort, remember or look up the precise terminology. However, I am somewhat lazy.

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April 10, 2008

Amanda

You’re missing the issue here Whatevaa. It seems to me that almost every person who posted thinks these children should be punished for their actions. It doesn’t mean that we act like animals and brutalize them in the same manner that they hurt Victoria. So many things went wrong here. The parents are wrong, the children are wrong, and if we behave the way that these children did, we’re wrong.

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April 10, 2008

tim hughes

f*** all of u i think yall alll should mind ur own damn business u dnt no none of them girls and u judge them u werent there u just going by what that girl said so just mind ur damn business

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April 10, 2008

Susan

Tim Hughes,

We’re not going by what Victoria said. We’re going by what we saw, with our own eyes, on the video that the attackers made. I heard one of them saying, “oooh yeah!” When one of the attackers hit her particularly hard and furious. I’m outraged by this horrendous beating. These criminals deserve to be tried as adults for this heinous crime, and to do some hard time.

And btw, it IS my business. I have a right to voice my outrage at this crime. I hope that the fact that so many good people have expressed sorrow and outrage over this, that these teenagers will meet justice.

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April 10, 2008

John Stevens

What these girls and boys did was unconscionable and disgusting. They should be punished to the maximum extent that the law allows, which will include lengthy prison sentences. I plan to personally contact the district attorney in that area with my thoughts and this matter and I guarantee there will be no leniency. These people will learn what &ldquotough&rdquo is all about when they experience life in the general population. I hope it was worth it because their lives are effectively over. Personally, I don&rsquot care if any of them is killed in prison.

With regard to civil matters, the families of these girls will also learn an important financial lesson as they will be cleaning out their bank accounts and selling their assets to compensate this poor girl. A lot of pain is coming their way and the value of teaching children right and wrong will be the cornerstone of this lesson.

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April 10, 2008

Bobby

These horribly mal-adjusted girls are going to get beat-up/ridiculed for a long time to come and rejected socially (maybe even colleges?). That’s a lot of punishment right there!

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April 10, 2008

RE:RE:above

Did you not use your proper punctuation for any special reason?. Or were you to busy worrying about every one else. Idiot!

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April 10, 2008

Re:tim hughes

Tim what I am going by is the fact this young girl was unconscious. But some how the police know she was unconscious. The Police stated that she was rendered unconscious in the bed room. The police also stated who drove her head into the wall in the bed room. Then the police stated that there was no video taken in the bed room. This tells me that some one there, told the police what they saw. Because there was no video recovered that was taken in the bed room. I am not going by what the girl said. I am going by what them very smart cheerleaders video taped and the police aired. But your right I was not the guest of honor at their little bash.

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April 10, 2008

Scott

Are cheerleaders the side walk commando’s of the future. Or did we see the secret society of cheerleaders blood in blood out.

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April 11, 2008

Chuck D.

Timbo doesn’t have a clue…actually, everyone’s NOT going by what Victoria Lindsay said, they’re going by – get this – the video that was posted of her savage beating. Are you really THAT stupid?

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April 12, 2008

Ashley

I read on a forum in Mulberry that most of the kids are siding with the perpetrators. They’re saying this was karma, that the Tori girl is a bully herself and bullied the wrong people this time and it came back to bite her in the ass. Evidently the cops went to retreive her myspace stuff that set this in motion and this cyber-bully had deleted it already. Also, her parents had kicked her out of the house (nobody is asking where her parents were when this happened) and she’d also gotten kicked off the cheerleading squad last year. I think these perpetrators should be punished but there should also be a law against cyber-bullying too. Cyber-bullies have caused some kids to commit suicide.

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April 12, 2008

John Esposito

Re: Tim Hughes Little Timmy is probably the sperm doner for one of the eight mastermind mensa nominees that cooked up this beating.

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April 12, 2008

TexasNana

Ohhhh yeah baby!!…that’s what the girl with the red t-shirt and long pony tail said in the video as she randomly got a hit in on Victoria. She was enjoying herself immensely from that comment and the way she said it. Now that they will be charged as adults for this crime, I can’t help but think …………burn, baby, burn. And I want to thank Kate’s blog for reminding me that there are mothers and grandmothers in prision who will not be comforting to these girls when they arrive.

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April 12, 2008

Sheila

Where is the infamous Myspace page of Mercedes Nichols?

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April 13, 2008

Michael

The parents are responsible for their child’s actions. They should be sitting in jail right next to their darling baby girls!

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April 14, 2008

Billy

They should be all put in jail for atleast 2 years and the guys for 3

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April 15, 2008

Amber

You know if it takes 6 girls to beat one 16 teen year old then these girls are chicken shit i think they should get their ass beat like they did that girls. And if nobody does then they sure will in jail. Them girls need to go away for along time and Dr. Phil needs to let them sit in there he is sick in the head for even wanting to bail her out. All my hopes and support to Victoia and her family.

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April 16, 2008

Lynn

wow another story of little girls trying to be bad ass’s.. well LITTLE GIRLS… No One is impressed.
Yeah Big Deal your fighting video made it too youtube.
“the place of all losers” and i only mean that comment towards the “fighting video’s” You Punks all seem to think that fiming a video is going to make you someone big but in all reality we all look down at you and see just how pathetic you are and for the parents……GROW UP YOURSELVES and BE PARENTS and DO NOT DEFEND THEIR ACTIONS!
THEY ARE PUNKS, BULLIES, IDIOTS,they need to get their ass’s kicked on video!

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April 16, 2008

just me

I feel sorry for everyone involved in this horrible episode. We have more than one victim here. Children, parents, grandparens, the people that were sickened by the video. The list goes on. My heart goes out to Victoria and her mom and dad. She was away from home becase of a family dispute. How unusual: NOT! We as a society need to send a clear message to everyone that this type of mob action will not be tolorated. But consider this, we knowof this only becauseof a 911 call and the video. Worse happens dailt to younger children and the helpless. Tori, heal completely. Not just yor wound, but your heart. No one should have the memory of that night. Please try to move on and make life better for yourself and everyone you well ever meet. Much love. Ifyou get a book deal or a movie, talk the profits and do something grand and noble. Fast cars get old, good deeds last a lifetime.

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April 16, 2008

just me

Pardon my typing on my last post…you all know what I meant. Right? Life in 2000+ Terrorist-school shootings-people you went to school with dying in Iraq-homes worth less than what is owed-no jobs-idiot in the white house-a new one on the way-corporations bleeding us dry. Florida is filled with criminals. It has been that way for … generations! Idiots having idiots. No wonder this stuff happens. Walt, you should of built elsewhere. I will NEVER set foot in FLA again. You shouldn’t either.

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April 16, 2008

just me

One parting thought. People who would do this and think it is okay or “normal” have no place on this small planet. Period! Yes, someone loves them.: each and every one. How sad. How could you not try to defend them if they were yours. I guess you would need to be a parent to fully understand. Your children are your hope and your future. It’s easy to find flaws in the other person’s story. Why? Because you have to.

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April 17, 2008

Sheila

Hi Just Me,

I appreciate your insightful and caring viewpoints.

I do want to respond to the comments about parents defending their children though. I can understand a parent being in denial about their child’s abhorrent actions to a degree, but the two parents who have openly commented on this are Schumaker’s dad, and of course, Mercedes Nichol’s mom.
Schumaker’s dad said that the sherrif was making a “mountain out of a mole hill” with these “trumped up charges against these kids.” Nichol’s mom said that she doesn’t know why Victoria would post negative comments on Myspace “if she doesn’t have the nerve to back it up.”

I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment about idiots having idiots. These parents have truly minimized the severity of the beating.

I think that what this ordeal has taught me is that, first of all, society is still, by and large, good. The fact that so many people were outraged and saddened by this crime tells me that we have not yet become a society desensitized to crimes against humanity.

Second of all, I am reminded of the importance of keeping the lines of communication open with my kids — about all things. My kids have come to me in times of conflict with a peer. I have tried to give them the social tools, the best that I can, on how to resolve these conflicts. I’ve tried to teach them: how to choose good friends how to be a good friend themselves how to speak up for themselves with fairness how to walk away when it is time to the importance of loyalty in friendship — both being loyal and expecting loyalty from your closest friends and last, but certainly not least, the tool of praying to God for help in these matters.

When they were younger, I would get involved by calling the other parent if needed. As they got older I would discuss the issue with them, make some suggestions, and then let them choose their own response to conflicts with peers. I’m sure that I’ve given advice to my kids that was not as good as it should have been along the way, but at least I taught them that I do care about these facets of their lives, and that they can come to me and talk about it.

The 3rd thing that this crime has taught me is to know who my childrens’ friends are — to know who my kids are running with. My oldest child is 11, so it is very easy to know who his friends are. But when my kids get older, I now realize the importance of really making it my business to know who they are with, and to get some idea of the character of their friends. If my children have a Myspace acct when they get older, then I plan to monitor their page. Not only that, but I plan to check out the pages of their friends also. If one of their friends uses profanity, or has negative comments about another child, then I’m going to have a problem with my kid running with that kid. If my own kids do any of those things, then I’ll pull their account on Myspace until such time that they are mature enough to have a Myspace account. (And they will face additional consequences.)

I saw an example of good parenting once when, at a friend’s house, the father of a 13 year old girl picked up the girl’s phone, nonchalantly, and began scrolling through her text messages, right there in front of her. The girl’s mom asked him if he was reading her text messages, and he replied that he was. He gave no excuses or apologies. I happen to think that that was an act of fatherly love and protection. (He didn’t read them aloud.)

I think that for many of us it’s very hard being a parent today. I know for me it has been. My kids have both had periods of utter defiance. I didn’t know if we were going to make it through sometimes. But as a parent, I have to keep pressing on — keep putting the child in line — keep grounding, etc, despite the screaming and crying that follows those words, “You’re grounded for 2 days for that!”

I’ve also found some books by Joy Berry that are great for my younger child. This author has a series of books on childrens’ behaviors that have been a great help to me with my kids.

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April 17, 2008

Scott

If found guilty the courts need to make an example out of them.

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April 25, 2008

Jen

Has anyone examined the standards at Polk County schools? Why wasn’t Mercades Nichols expelled after she stabbed her boyfriend with a ball point pen while in class. According to his interview on the news, this incident (as well as several others) happened at school. His mother said that when she reported it, the school took no action. Although the suspects are responsible for their own behavior, there are several adults (parents, school administrators, etc.) who can be proud of their contributory negligence. Once and for all……….school systems (and this includes the extra curricular activities endorsed by schools) must make and enforce anti bullying sanctions. All of this anti bullying, zero tolerance rhetoric is just lip service if schools are not going to enforce it. There obviously needs to be a higher set of standards for the cheerleading squad in Polk County. I am NOT referring to the size of these girls. Good role models and good athletes come in all shapes and sizes. Let’s move away from the surface and look at what is (or isn’t) beneath the surface of a child who can commit such violence against another with such glee and brazen zeal.

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April 25, 2008

jeep

Cara Murphy she is not guilty and she is smolikn hottt!!!!!!!!!

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April 26, 2008

Jen

Hot or not, I missed the part of the video where Cara was trying to stop the other girls from beating Victoria. That was probably because she was on the phone dialing 911 to stop the violence that was being played out in front of her – Wait, that isn’t right either. Innocent is a strange word to use in reference to anyone who was aware of the violence being committed in that horrible video and did nothing. One thing is for sure………..Cara is in smokin’ hot water and that jury which will be made of adults and NOT teen aged boys will look at her and just see one more teen ager who is out of control and has a warped sense of what is right and what is wrong. Being hot by teen aged standards is of little use in juvenile hall and prison. It’s even more useless when you become an adult and you want to go out and find a decent job with a felonious assault charge on your record.

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April 26, 2008

Highschool Girl

Honestly i think what these girls did was incredibly wrong and its horrifying. Speaking as a highschool girl this is what happens when you let the world define who you are. And i do agree with the victims dad. The media has a huge impact on a teenagers life and so do the parents. The media tells us how to dress what we should look like it sets our standerds and its our choice to follow them. I dont think myspace or you tube should be shut down but i do agree that they should be better sensored with what gets posted. Sadly some parents encourage them to do this crap and i think its so wrong. Look at all the wars and look at all the violence society goes through has it ever brought peace or agreements? Never has so why do we keep using violence like its helping us it solves nothing. Being in highschool is hard and im not talking about schoolwork homework im talking about how students treat each other. At my school people treat each other like crap even some of the teachers (great example right) theres always drama like ALWAYS. The only thing i would ever say (and not everyone agrees its understandable) is if you hear people talking bad about you just ignore it! you know its not true and so do your real friends. So to avoid this situation just let them talk they will evenutally get bored and drop it. they only get aggressive if you react. Or if you cant ignore it do what i did and talk to an administrator about it. i had a similar situation last year

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April 26, 2008

Jen

Dear High School Girl,

Take it from someone who is probably older than your mother. You have it all in perspective. You have your whole life ahead of you and although it’s great to young, don’t ever believe that these will be the best years of your life. If you keep making all of the right choices and continue to ignore the cruelty that some young people inflict on each other you will soon find that you will grow to a world that makes a little more sense. You have college, a career and many lifetime friends to meet and make. Don’t let tv, magazines or the current peer pressure define you. Good news. The closer to adult hood you come the more you will realize that everybody has to play by the rules or they won’t enjoy any success. In an adult work place of any stature, name calling, violence and inappropriate behavior are not tolerated. If the young people involved in this incident haven’t already destroyed any chance at a successful future, they will soon if they don’t learn what life is really all about. They have places called prison for people who believe that they can solve something as silly as some trash talk with unmitigated violence. If they are tried as adults they just may find themselves there this time around.

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April 26, 2008

Highschool Girl

Dear Jen,
I get what your saying and i totally agree with it and I honestly cant wait to get out of highschool. Highschool is like a world defined by the media always drama always people talking about who they want to beat up its such a fight to ignore it but ive just learned not to give a reaction because im only proving there point..We have a really messed up society were nobody respects each other its so hard for me to understand. Thanks for saying what you said im so glad someone understands where im coming from and has something to add to it ( :

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April 27, 2008

Jen

High School Girl,

It will all make sense one day honey, I promise. If your 20 year old self could have a conversation with you now, you would see that the world you are making for yourself by not getting involved in any of this drama is a world of wisdom. And as you get older there will be more and more rewards. Right now, dream big dreams and set goals. Most of the hatred and frustration you see around you is borne out of people who don’t have any dreams. They truly believe that all of life begins and ends in high school and that if they don’t play out their whole lives in four little years that they have missed the boat. It is so untrue. Think long and hard about what your dreams are. Then read books, make plans and dream. Life is an open book to you.

Jen

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April 29, 2008

Dawn

High School Girl,
Jen is right. Most of these girls (and boys) that are talking crap about other people do it because they have their own issues. Whether it be lack of dreams, self esteem or identity, it’s something negative inside of themselves that causes their hostility. I teach my daughter to pray for hateful, gossiping, judgemental, angry people. They bully to build self-esteem. It is very sad. Tori was talking crap about those girls. Why? What was going on inside of her heart? Maybe the fact that her mother is in jail for murder (“fatal stabbing”)???? See what I mean? So rather then praying for Tori or having a little compassion for her, they beat her like animals in a jungle to feel better about THEMSELVES!!! Again, what’s going on there? What is in their hearts? Where is the self-esteem in these girls? Where is their pride? Where is their guidance? I don’t know. The whole thing is very disturbing and I would be DEVASTATED and DEEPLY DEEPLY ashamed if my child acted out in such a horrific manner.
High School Girl, your perspective says a lot about the person you are &amp who you will become. You’re very mature to see past all of the childish drama. Ignoring it proves that you are a strong individual who wants to better yourself and not be bogged down with the pettiness. You have a strong sense of self and seem to be heading in a very positive direction. (What kind of colleges are going to accept those kids now? And just about every single job application, even McDonalds, asks if you’ve ever been charged with a felony. Those kids have changed their lives forever!)
You are definitely on the right track and your parents should be proud!

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May 16, 2008

Chuck D.

Cara Murphy “hot”? Aside from the whole underage thing, as someone on YT put it, “her hair’s more oily than the vents @ Wendy’s!”.

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May 30, 2008

Nickel

I think that what these girls did was HORRIBLE! I think that they should all get beat to a bloody pulp!! Maybe that will teach them… As for Victoria… I think that she is just as immature as all of these other girls! Yes, she was talking mess, but she did not deserver any of this!!! I hope that these girls get charged as adults and go DOWN!! If not, im sure people in Lakeland will give that all a rude awakening!! Watch out boys and girls you ALL have HELL to pay!!! And i cant wait to watch those videos… Now think to yourselves… WAS IT REALLY WORTH IT???!?!?!?

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