PDA

View Full Version : Coach gets 1-6 yrs for ordering "beaning" of Autistic boy



OUDoc
10/13/2006, 12:05 PM
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.

Mr. Downs didn't say anything during this afternoon's sentencing hearing. But as he was led away, he replied "Yes" when asked if he thought the sentence was too harsh.:mad:

Judge Warman could have sentenced him to up to 12 years.

Mr. Downs' bond was revoked and he was taken to jail to await transfer to a state prison.

Mr. Downs' family, including his wife, a 6-week-old baby and three other children were in the courtroom for part of the hearing. But the three older children were hurried out before the actual sentencing.

Jennifer Bowers, mother of the injured player, said the sentencing ends a chapter in the story. "Hopefully we can close the book on this," she said, but added her son still doesn't understand what happened.

With any luck, he'll also get "franks and beaned" while he's in prison. *******.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06285/729503-100.stm

yermom
10/13/2006, 12:15 PM
i'm still a bit skeptical on this one... i mean i could totally see the kids doing this and then blaming the coach

Sooner Born Sooner Bred
10/13/2006, 12:17 PM
Even if the kid did it and then blamed the coach, he's still responsible for the behavior of the kids on his team.

OUDoc
10/13/2006, 12:17 PM
i'm still a bit skeptical on this one... i mean i could totally see the kids doing this and then blaming the coach
Hey. I was all ready to see this guy burn in Hell, and you go and bring that up. It could happen like you said, but I think the coach admitted to it.

sooner_born_1960
10/13/2006, 12:20 PM
Even if the kid did it and then blamed the coach, he's still responsible for the behavior of the kids on his team.
Have you really thought that through completely?

Octavian
10/13/2006, 12:20 PM
Even if the kid did it and then blamed the coach, he's still responsible for the behavior of the kids on his team.

:eek:

Petro-Sooner
10/13/2006, 12:22 PM
:eek:

Exactly.

Sooner Born Sooner Bred
10/13/2006, 12:22 PM
What I mean is if the kid did it because he wanted to and not because he was told, and the kid didn't get punished in some way the coach bears responsibility.

sooner_born_1960
10/13/2006, 12:23 PM
What I mean is if the kid did it because he wanted to and not because he was told, and the kid didn't get punished in some way the coach bears responsibility.
OK. I thought you were saying the coach was criminally responsible under your scenario.

sooner_born_1960
10/13/2006, 12:24 PM
Doc, so as not to confuse my intentions, I agree with your original post.

Widescreen
10/13/2006, 01:04 PM
Fayette County Judge Ralph Warman said the actions by Mark Haynesworth Jr., of Dunbar, in June 2005 were "outrageous" and "extremely reprehensible" because he was coaching a league of children 7 to 9 years old.

Fixed.

Penguin
10/13/2006, 03:00 PM
Mmmmm.... franks & beans.....


I'm getting Hungary.

yermom
10/13/2006, 03:10 PM
Hey. I was all ready to see this guy burn in Hell, and you go and bring that up. It could happen like you said, but I think the coach admitted to it.

i hadn't heard that, the last thing i heard was that at some point he admitted to joking with the kids about them taking out a ref for $20

but i haven't really kept up with it

sooner_born_1960
10/13/2006, 03:12 PM
baseball "refs" are called umps.

yermom
10/13/2006, 03:18 PM
refs, umpires, whatever. lately i'd pay $25 for someone to bean a couple ;)

this is the other thread on this:

http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77704


Shaffer said Downs had joked at another game about paying players to hit an umpire with a ball. His words were later taken out of context and used against him by Reese, Shaffer said.

Bowers was hit because he misplayed balls while warming up with Reese, Shaffer said.

"[Bowers] was terrible. ... It's not like he got blinded-sided," Shaffer said. "He put his glove up, he missed it and it went off his glove and hit him."