Posted on 07/06/2007 6:04:39 PM PDT by indcons
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Two teenagers were accused of gang raping a woman and forcing her 12-year-old son to join in the attack, then beating him and pouring cleaning solution into his eyes.
Authorities allege Avion Lawson, 14, and Nathan Walker, 16, were among a group of about 10 masked suspects who forced their way into the woman's apartment in a crime-ridden housing project the night of June 18.
The two were being held without bail Friday on suspicion of armed sexual battery by multiple perpetrators, sexual performance by a child, armed home invasion and aggravated battery. Both were arrested this week, but formal charges had not been filed. Authorities said the two would be charged as adults.
"Any rape case is horrible but this takes it to another level, something you can't think of even in your worst dreams," police spokesman Ted White said.
According to the police report, a man knocked on the woman's door at about 9 p.m. and told her he had a flat tire. The mother and son, whom police have not identified, went outside and were ambushed by a group of gun-wielding suspects.
The victims told police they were forced back into their home and beaten and sexually assaulted. According to authorities, the men raped, sodomized and beat the woman, then forced her son to participate in the assault at gunpoint, making him have sex with his mother in front of them.
The boy was then beaten and had numerous household cleaning liquids poured into his eyes, according to the police report.
The suspects also stole a few hundred dollars worth of cash and jewelry, White said.
White said more arrests were expected, but he would not say whether authorities had identified additional suspects. The teens in custody were not cooperating, but Lawson confessed to taking part in the attack, White said. Walker has denied involvement, White said.
DNA evidence in a condom found in the victims' home linked Lawson to the crime, police said. Investigators also say they found a palm print belonging to Walker at the scene.
The victims did not suffer life-threatening injuries and have been released from the hospital, White said.
"They're going through the county victim services for counseling," he said.
Lawson lived in Dunbar Village, the hardscrabble project where the attack occurred. Walker was apparently visiting a friend there, White said.
Authorities believe the suspects all knew each other from the neighborhood, but they don't think they knew the victims directly.
Prosecutors have 21 days from the time a suspect is arrested to formally file charges. Lawson was arrested Tuesday. Walker was arrested Thursday.
Walker made a first court appearance on Friday, after which his father, also named Nathan Walker, spoke briefly.
"My son has a good heart," the elder Walker said outside court. "I can't believe my son would do something like this. I don't teach my son violence so I don't understand."
Walker's attorney, Robert Gershman, said Friday he intended to enter a not guilty plea on behalf of his client once charges are formally filed. He would not comment further.
A telephone message left at the office of Lawson's public defender was not immediately returned.
You're not the only one teaching your son, Mr. Walker!
No...if he was adult enough to commit such a despicable crime, he should hang like an adult.
Well, except for our nation being one of laws, I guess. No one would complain if these kids had been shot dead in self defense. But a lynch mob is different. Lynch mobs are ugly and lawless and premeditated murder. There comes a time when this makes sense I suppose. But I’m not convinced that our system is so broken that we are at that point just yet.
Yea with a rope and a tree.
The death penalty is too gentle and humane for these monsters. Lethal injection is what you do for a beloved but aging pen who is suffering with disease and old age. These monsters should experience the electric chair Phillippine style (electrocuted until you catch fire).
Somw kids are fixable, that’s true. But are you sure these are children? Even so, assuming you’re right, how do you fix this? Some things aren’t fixable. Some people aren’t fixable.
“I don’t teach my son violence so I don’t understand.”
Didn’t teach him anything about morality either.
I agree did you hear today about the step fathers excuse about the two girls who kidnapped a 1 year old toddler? I am just wondering what in the hell is going on today in our society?
oddly enough I’m not suprised.
Waiting for Jesse Jackson to make a statement that
1. It was George Bush’s fault
2. The white devil and the corporations made me do it.
3. We should give more money to inner city schools and bigger welfare checks.
have them dig their own graves and shoot them.
What is it in the Bible? Something about bad company corrupting good morals. Maybe daddy should know who his kid is with if he is such a good young man.
New sport for punk losers who need killin !
1911A1 vs 911.......
Yeah they will be in society after 21, because they are juveniles and they didnt know what they were doing. I am sick and tired of this excuse. They should stay in prison for life or from the death penalty.
Yep!
These kids wouldn’t be fixable. Not when I got done with them, anyway.
Well, maybe in your opinion...but these "kids" are obviously no longer "kids"....they're premeditating home invading, raping, torturing animals, who'd apparently reached puberty.
They are beyond salvation...oh, and they're not "kids".
Poor blacks seem to have the opinion that guns attract crime. I suppose this could be true in a community where nobody has anything and everyone is jealous of everyone else. If one person gets something the others don’t have, it dissapears in the middle of the night.
I’ve been told this is how it is in mexico too...and one of the reasons the mexicans don’t want to be there.
More and more I find myself believing the only way to get justice is to seek it personally. The state isn’t interested in justice, only crowd control.
All men need to STRONGLY consider taking a stand and putting animals like these down before they hurt any other innocents.
However, read the story again. See the reference to “housing project”? It may be that HUD has guidelines restricting or prohibiting (unfortunately) gun ownership by residents.
Yes, I can see a lifetime of stable, positive contributions to society from these two, lol.
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