Posted on 10/12/2006 4:16:46 PM PDT by 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
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
The kid is AUTISTIC. Do you get that? I have been around autistic kids. My nephew is autistic and totally uncoordinated and isn't able to protect himself. He is 8 right now. It was an assault. This was not a normal kid here. Tossing a hard ball to injure a special needs kid is not just a fireable offense. No, the kid wasn't hurt. No thanks to this ass. He very well could have been. The coach was also very aware that the kid was defenseless.
No, this isn't namby pamby liberal crap. I would have kicked that coaches ass until the cops pulled me off and took my time in jail like a man if it was my nephew he was trying to injure.
You might think throwing a hard ball at a seven year old mentally challenged kid is just bad manners, but where I come from it's a sign of masculinity to actually be protective of those who are weak, not in some BS PC way but with dignity.
Trying to injure this poor child is something that could have gone way wrong. That is why this was an assault that needed prosecution. Not just a firing.
"He wanted the kid hit hard enough so he would be injured out." Article does not say that."...presumably to keep him from playing in a game." Does not say he wanted to hurt the kid.
"Did he just want a fractured wrist? Perhaps we should feel sorry for him then. He was just trying to make the kid medically unable to play. That's all. The autistic kid just needed toughening."
I did not type any such thing.
To answer your question, the sentence I would prescribe, if the child in question was my nephew, I would beat the coach's ass everytime I saw him.
I agree that we pussify young boys now but intentionally nailing a kid in the head -- and it needn't be 100 mph to kill him -- is insane.
Hit him with a thrown ball so he won't be hit by a batted one later.
A pre-emptive beaning. That's new!
Do you know any autistic kids? Any at all? I am going to stop now so I don't swear and get a time out.
Screw it, I am done talking. Yes, it's hysteria. All autistic kids deserve a good beaning, that will fix em.
anyone who attempts to injure ANY child intentionally
We could extend that to a nanny state as well. A child gets hurt riding a tricycle and was not wearing knee/elbow pads, a helmet, and goggles. Should the parents go to jail for intentionally hurting him since they know that protective gear makes it safer? Yes - hyperbole, but this is what is coming.
"I must have missed the part about Robin Ventura being an autistic 11 year old."
Was not the point.
If that's the prescribed sentence for the charge does the judge have a choice?
I don't know of anyone convicted of murder who got 6 months to three years.
I believe the sentence is way too harsh for the offense, but I do agree that some jail time is in order.
I am not excusing the guy. Hell, It pisses me off when I read about idiots like this.
However, gay rape? 20 years? lives destroyed? Sheesh.
Also I want to point out that this "everybody plays" crap is socialism and BS. I played soccer, football and basketball on teams when I was 11 and if an autistic kid was on my team I'd probably hate his guts. Not because he was autistic, but because he cost my team games.
Putting an autistic kid on a competitive team is just asking for trouble.
It's a crime.
That's not nanny state.
It's always been a crime and it will REMAIN a crime.
20 years was a rejoinder to those that think this scumbag shouldn't have any jailtime.
I've seen otherwise rational people do really stupid things over sports.
Fair enough. I am outta here.
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