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Two Spotsylvania teens sentenced in beatings case
VIDEO: View video of the incident. (WARNING: Contains adult language and graphic violence.)
RELATED: View more stories related to this case. PDF: View a related Plea Agreement in the case.
Date published: 9/25/2009
By PAMELA GOULD At 6 feet 1 inch and 300 pounds, Matthew Shepherd is impossible to miss in the Jan. 11 attack on two teens that was captured on a cell phone video. But at the start of his sentencing hearing in Spotsylvania County Circuit Court yesterday, his attorney immediately wanted one fact clear: his client wore flip-flops. Shepherd, 19, is seen in the video throwing multiple punches and kicking one of the victims who is on the ground and under attack from several other teens. Shepherd and Jonathan Longtin, also 19, were sentenced yesterday for their roles in the beating that occurred in a field in the Stoneybrooke subdivision on a Sunday afternoon. Longtin testified yesterday that he threw one punch at one of the victims to protect a friend but then backed away when he saw things getting out of control. Nine teens were originally charged with two counts each of malicious wounding by mob for the attack that sent both victims to the hospital. One victim, then 18, sustained multiple fractures to his jaw. Doctors initially feared the other victim, then 19, suffered a brain injury. The two victims showed up at the field expecting to play a pickup football game. Instead, they were confronted about allegedly beating up the younger brother of one of the defendants, an accusation they deny. Five teens have already been sentenced, receiving terms to serve between one month and 1 years. Yesterday, Shepherd, a 2008 Courtland High graduate, received a three-year sentence with all but six months suspended for a felony unlawful wounding conviction. Longtin, a 2009 Courtland graduate, received a one-year sentence with all but two months suspended and a misdemeanor assault and battery conviction. Also yesterday, the attorney for defendant Tyrik Denson asked to be heard Oct. 22 on a motion for reconsideration of his client's sentence. The last two defendants are scheduled to be sentenced that day. On Aug. 13, Denson received a three-year sentence with six months to serve. All of the teens are paying one-ninth of the victims' medical bills as restitution. Each has accepted an identical plea deal, which drops one charge and reduces the other. Under the plea, visiting Judge J. Howe Brown Jr. has the option of convicting each teen of unlawful wounding, a felony, or a lesser charge. So far, only two of the teens have been convicted of the lesser charge of assault and battery, a misdemeanor with a maximum term of one year. Unlawful wounding carries a maximum term of five years. Yesterday, the victim who was attacked by Shepherd and Longtin said he would have liked them both to get more time to serve. "They could have called for help when we were laying there on the ground," said the victim, who asked not to be identified. "They had multiple things they could have done." Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972
Date published: 9/25/2009
You've said so many [*#@!]inine things regarding these thugs, but this is the most laughable by far. Remind me to keep MY kid far away from you when he enters high school next year. Too bad you aren't on the side of the victims here and continually make references as to what fabulous characters this lot of criminals is. If I were YOU, I'd be embarassed to have my words of support of these vicious men in print. But hey, you have a daughter. Maybe she'll hook up with one of them and make you proud soon.
To a life of crime. We will hear more about these cowards down the road....and maybe the next time it will involve a homicide.
Does this judge seriously think a month or two in jail is sufficient to make these losers see the error of their ways? What is this little slap on the wrist going to do? Also, shame on Courtland High School for letting Brock Bullock play on the football team after this incident (see above list)! DISGUSTING!
This legal punishment does not suit the crime. Talk about people not accepting responsibilities for their actions. Can a civil suit elicit more punishment? Instead of groups suing Walmart, they should take their money and get politically active in the criminal legislative process. This is ridiculous.
The sentences these cowards received are more in line with something from a kindergarten brawl. It's sure not what I'd call justice, and I can't help but wonder how many of them will learn anything by this experience.
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