Employees Accused of Forcing Mentally Disabled Residents to Fight, Taping Them

[Soylent Brice]

Video Evidence in Alleged State School 'Fight Club' Case Dismissed

Employees Accused of Forcing Mentally Disabled Residents to Fight, Taping Them

In a surprise move, a Texas judge has ruled to suppress shocking cell phone video showing former Texas State School employees forcing mentally disabled residents at the Corpus Christi State school to fight one another while the employees used their cell phones to videotape the "fight clubs."

Mentally disabled residents forced to brawl as employees prod and laugh.Judge Sandra Watts told prosecutors that she would not allow the videos to be used against one of the defendants in the case – Timothy Dixons, 30 - on the grounds that the phone containing the video was stolen property. She said the State had not proven Dixon intentionally abandoned the phone. However, she has not ruled out using the videos in cases against the other defendants.

"This is not a popular decision and I understand that," said Watts. "I don't have any choice in this case."

more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=8032839&page=1

on edit: really? someone unrec'ed this??

weird...

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. Poorly written article.

It doesn't really explain her suppression of the evidence. What does the phone being stolen have to do with it? Who stole it, and why? Was it stolen because it held that evidence, which was then turned over to the police? Was that a 4th amendment violation, of improper search? "She said the State had not proven Dixon intentionally abandoned the phone." Did he have to 'abandon' it for it to be allowable? If it was merely lost - rather than stolen - would it be permissible evidence?

I hate it when a "news" item offers up more questions than answers.

[KamaAina]

2. Jebus H. Christ on a crutch. Literally.

No justice for perhaps the most marginalized group in society. The scum should be forced to fight each other in a WWE-style steel cage match. :grr: :banghead:

[Horse with no Name]

3. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial

and if the evidence was obtained illegally, which is the basis for her ruling, then it should not be admissible in court.
The ruling sucks because somebody didn't do their job.
The judge's job is to uphold the law, which is what she did.

[Soylent Brice]

4. my take on all of this is the fact that these fights were taking place at all.

that's pretty fucked up in itself.

you're right, the judge did what the judge was supposed to do, and somebody apparently didn't do their job, but how in the hell is shit like this happening in the first place.

RIDICULOUS.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Exactly. The State School system in Texas has been under fire before

and I had to rotate through one of them in nursing school--they aren't pretty places. They aren't nice places. When you get that combination, you don't always get the cream of the crop of employees.

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. This is what inevitably occurs at institutions.

Institutionalization eventually becomes inhuman.

The solution is natural inclusion and community residential placement.

[madrchsod]

7. here`s their punishment if they are found guilty

ufc cage match with his guy

[Soylent Brice]

8. awww, he looks snuggly...

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. I rec'd it for ya!

[Soylent Brice]

10. thanks!

i'm surprised to see as few comments on this subject. the video at the link is sad.

[Wednesdays]

11. K&R

:kick: