[philetus]

Everyone blaming the parents, I'd like your comments to this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1048251/posts?page=89

[Not A Snowbird]

LOL! I saw that. I can understand his viewpoint, but I don't think that I'd like a total stranger whomping my daughter with a belt.

[Enterprise]

The law has two duties here, and it clearly failed in one of them. Yes it must protect the girl, but it must also protect the store owner. It failed the owner. I blame the girl as being the aggressor and the instigator, and I think the police should not have arrested the store owner. Oh, I know, he's an adult and she isn't. However, it appears that he acted out of spontaneous anger and not in a premeditated manner. I might lose it too if some young jackass threw nickles at my head. The best solution would be to drop the charges, and issue a restraining order on the girl and her family from any further contact with the store or its owner and his family members.