A Minneapolis man beat his son with fists and an extension cord, and burned him with a hot iron before the boy sought refuge in the family’s oven, according to criminal charges filed Monday.
The charges allege that William T. Hurley turned on the oven with his 10-year-old inside. The boy climbed out after it began to get warm, the complaint said.
Hurley is charged with malicious punishment of a child in connection with the Friday incident.
According to the charges in Hennepin County District Court, police arrived at an apartment on the 2000 block of Elliott Avenue on a child abuse call. The boy told officers that Hurley was upset with him for being in his mother’s bedroom. Hurley punched him and threatened to kill him for hiding under a bed, the charges allege.
Hurley then burned the boy’s arm and leg with a hot iron, the complaint said. The boy ran out of the apartment screaming for help, but his mother grabbed him and brought him back in, at which point Hurley whipped him with an extension cord, the charges say.
The boy then hid in the oven.
Officers observed marks and burns on the boy’s body and “as officers were speaking to [the boy], the defendant stated that he had ‘whooped’ [the boy] and that he would get another,” the complaint said. “The defendant threatened to beat [the boy] in front of the officers. At that time, the defendant had to be restrained by the officers.”
“as officers were speaking to [the boy], the defendant stated that he had ‘whooped’ [the boy] and that he would get another,” the complaint said. “The defendant threatened to beat [the boy] in front of the officers. At that time, the defendant had to be restrained by the officers.”
Yeah, great way to help your case. . .
Of course, since the guy apparently didn’t see anything wrong with his acts, I wonder if he’ll be able to get off the charges on the “he didn’t know any better and just needs counseling” plea? Even if he does, though, I really doubt that he’ll be keeping custody of any kids.
Of course, since the guy apparently didn’t see anything wrong with his acts, I wonder if he’ll be able to get off the charges on the “he didn’t know any better and just needs counseling” plea? Even if he does, though, I really doubt that he’ll be keeping custody of any kids.
I really hope he doesn’t get off on some stupid reason like that. I also hope the mother doesn’t get custody either! She didn’t do anything to help her kid, and even pulled him back into the apartment when he ran for help! What a soulless… I won’t finish that.
Of course, since the guy apparently didn’t see anything wrong with his acts, I wonder if he’ll be able to get off the charges on the “he didn’t know any better and just needs counseling” plea? Even if he does, though, I really doubt that he’ll be keeping custody of any kids.
I really hope he doesn’t get off on some stupid reason like that. I also hope the mother doesn’t get custody either! She didn’t do anything to help her kid, and even pulled him back into the apartment when he ran for help! What a soulless… I won’t finish that.
Unfortunately he probably will. My boyfriend’s studying criminal justice and told me that it’s possible to use a defense that you have an uncontrollable urge to screw children under stress. A “didn’t know any better and needs counseling” defense doesn’t sound much zanier.
The mother of an 11-year-old boy who hid in an oven to escape alleged abuse by his father has been charged in the incident, in part because she pulled the boy back into the apartment after he had escaped, according to court documents.
Debra D. Chatman of Minneapolis has been charged in Hennepin County District Court with endangerment of a child, a felony, and malicious punishment of a child, a gross misdemeanor.
According to the complaint, William T. Hurley beat the boy with his firsts and an extension cord. Chatman admitted she initially punished the boy by striking him with a belt, then Hurley burned him with an iron, the complaint said. Chatman said she heard the boy scream, “He’s burning me.”
Chatman said the boy ran out of the apartment, so she grabbed him and dragged him back in, the complaint said. Hurley allegedly started punching the boy again, and the boy ran to hide in the oven and grabbed on to something in there. Chatman said she turned on the oven to cause the boy to “release his hold,” the complaint said.
When the boy got out of the oven, Hurley “continued to assault him,” the complaint said.
Hurley was charged last week with malicious punishment of a child.
According to the charges against Hurley filed in Hennepin County District Court, police arrived at an apartment on the 2000 block of Elliott Avenue on a child abuse call. The boy told officers that Hurley was upset with him for being in his mother’s bedroom. Hurley punched him and threatened to kill him for hiding under a bed, the charges allege.
Officers saw marks and burns on the boy’s body, and, as they spoke to him, Hurley said he had ‘whooped’ [the boy] and “that he would get another,” the complaint said. Hurley had to be restrained by police, the complaint said.
I would like to meet this guy in a dark alley…with me having a baseball bat….
My plan for such folks tends to involve a deep pit in the middle of the desert. Toss ‘em in and forget about ‘em. Not worth the rage and effort. They’re just human trash, and need an appropriate landfill…
Of course, this is also my plan for televangelists, daytime talk show hosts, 90% of politicians, and Hannah Montana.
Wow. So the boy was in his mother’s room. In punishment for that, the man punched him a few times and then started whipping him with an extension cord, while the mother whipped the boy with a belt. Then the man burned the kid with an iron. Then the man punched the kid some more. Then the woman turned on the oven while the kid was in it. Then the man beat the kid some more.
So both adults apparently actively took part in beating the kid. I think that the concept of fitting the punishment to the crime was one that these folks missed out on. I wonder what they’ll think of whatever punishment the court might decide on for them?
Bebelicious - 17 November 2009 01:38 PM
I wonder who made the call to police?
Probably one of the neighbours saw the boy running or heard the sounds. From the description of events, I doubt that they were all that discreet about things.
