T-ball coach gets 1-6 years for ordering beaning

Post Gazette ^ | Oct 12, 2006 | Moustafa Ayad

[FFIGHTER]

UNIONTOWN, Pa. -- A youth league baseball coach convicted of getting one of his players to injure a teammate was sentenced to one to six years in prison today.

Fayette County Judge Ralph Warman said the actions by Mark Downs Jr., of Dunbar, in June 2005 were "outrageous" and "extremely reprehensible" because he was coaching a league of children 7 to 9 years old.

Testimony indicated Mr. Downs promised $25 to one of his best players if he hurled a ball at Harry Bowers Jr., 11, an autistic and mildly retarded teammate, presumably to keep him from playing in a game.

A jury convicted Mr. Downs last month of corruption of minors and conspiracy to commit simple assault.

Judge Warman sentenced him to six months to three years on each count

[Figment]

"Nope. Keep trying"

Nope, you keep trying. Keep trying to justify an idiot asshole coach putting out a hit on a disabled child in a meaningless tball game.He should get the maximum punishment

[CAluvdubya]

i don't get it???? Why do you think 3 years for each offense is too much? He won't serve the whole time anyway.

The guy offered money for assault. Hmmmm, what does murder for hire get in your state? More than 3 years I'll bet.

[MikefromOhio]

Please keep stroking yourself.

I'd rather just ignore you, but I won't. Instead I'll say that this guy is damned lucky this kid wasn't hit in the temple with the ball. Then he'd be looking at conspiracy to commit murder. Then, hopefully, he WOULD BE getting 20 years.

[gate2wire]

"Keep trying to justify an idiot asshole coach putting out a hit on a disabled child in a meaningless tball game."


Never did such a thing.

Yawn.

[Big E]

I think one of the reasons the judge threw the book at him was because the coach took the stand and denied that he did anything wrong.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06256/721322-85.stm

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06258/722075-85.stm

The 9 year old, Keith Reese, Jr., who threw at the autistic kid hit him first in the groin. The autistic kid, Harry Bowers, went crying to his mother, who said, go back and play. Then Keith hit him in the ear, which bloodied and bruised Harry's ear. That's when the coach decided not to play the autistic kid. After the game, Keith said his coach told him to do it for $25.

The jury believed Keith, not the coach. Apparently, so did the judge.

[Vision]

As long as you suggest some nut should go to prison for 6 years who tells his tball team to throw hard against a handicapped kid, I have no fear for interpretation of this thread in the future.

[Vision]

Let me ask you this. So this guy asks his player to throw hard against a handicapped kid and you believe he should be incarcerated for six years. What should be his punishment if he did this to a normal child?

[Toddsterpatriot]

tells his tball team to throw hard against a handicapped kid,

Throw hard or hit in the head?

[Vision]

I don't care.

[MikefromOhio]

keep asking yourself questions, maybe one day you'll answer yourself correctly

LOL

[Toddsterpatriot]

What would a fair sentence be, in your opinion?

[Vision]

Please take your medication for the good of FR.

[MikefromOhio]

Please take your medication for the good of FR.

Awwwww...sounds to me like someone's LOSING...LOL

[Vision]

I think the the local community should deal with this/outcast the guy. I don't believe any crime has been committed.

[Vision]

No, someone's responding to your bizarre posts.

[MikefromOhio]

I think the the local community should deal with this/outcast the guy. I don't believe any crime has been committed.

Hey knucklehead, the local community HAS dealt with this...LOL

Unbelievable. Bribing a kid to hit another with a friggin baseball isn't a crime?!?!?

[Toddsterpatriot]

I don't believe any crime has been committed.

Is it okay for adults to throw baseballs at kids heads, or just kids? How about rocks?

[MikefromOhio]

No, someone's responding to your bizarre posts.

No not "someone". Just you. A nobody who thinks there WASN'T a crime committed.

[CAluvdubya]

Let me ask you this. So this guy asks his player to throw hard against a handicapped kid and you believe he should be incarcerated for six years.

Why do you keep down playing the "assualt for hire"? The coach didn't just ask (although that would be bad enough) he offered money for it. That drives up the sentence.

[Vision]

You both believe a sick man who wanted his tball player to intentionally hit a handicapped kid deserves six years in prison.

You're sick in the head. You must live such functional lives \rolling eyes