West Virginia Torture

[eleanor]

[font="trebuchet ms"] I'm pretty sure everyone has heard about this, but here's a summary:

[i]"Megan Williams, 20, who is black, was tortured for days at a remote hillside home in Big Creek, sexually assaulted and forced to eat rat droppings.

Williams' captors, all of them white, also choked her with a cable cord and stabbed her in the leg while calling her a racial slur, poured hot water over her, made her drink from a toilet and beat and sexually assaulted her during a span of about a week, according to criminal complaints.

At one point, an assailant cut the woman's ankle with a knife and used the N-word in telling her she was victimized because she is black, according to the criminal complaints

It wasn't until an anonymous tip led Logan County Sheriff's deputies to the property on Saturday that her ordeal ended. She limped toward the deputies, her arms outstretched as she cried, "Help me!""[/i]

-FOX News

And for some absurd reason, these six people are not being charged with hate crime because "Logan County prosecutors say they have not ruled out hate-crime charges but are focusing on the counts already filed, including kidnapping and sexual assault, which have tougher maximum sentences. Federal prosecutors, meanwhile, have not sought civil-rights charges."

But seriously, aside from this being horrible and disgusting, I think this officially makes West Virginia the most hated state in the US right now. Like, once a upon a time there was a small state in the US that no one cared about and did not produce anything of great value. [spoiler]I'm joking. I said the same thing about New Hampshire and Louisiana earlier in the year, lol.[/spoiler]

I know this is naive of me, but I was shocked when I heard this (although the fact that is happened in a small rural town of W. Virginia explained some of it). I hear about hate crimes, but hearing the specifics of the kidnappers' torture is just sickening. [/font]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=#9933ff][font=lucida calligraphy]Some people are just sick freaks, nothing will change that. I have to wonder if some of the words the woman's captives used were soley psychologically and not racially motivated.

Still I haven't heard much on this story since I'm hardly near a TV or newspaper. So I can't give out a very well thought out opinion.[/color][/font]

[P.J. McKrafty]

I'm from Wast Virginia and this little snippet, "(although the fact that is happened in a small rural town of W. Virginia explained some of it)", is a load of ignorant ****.

It's true that we don't have many minorities up there but it doesn't mean we are all racist inbred hicks, and that stereotype is getting really ****ing old.

[eleanor]

[quote name='ForestCrusader']I'm from Wast Virginia and this little snippet, "(although the fact that is happened in a small rural town of W. Virginia explained some of it)", is a load of ignorant ****.

It's true that we don't have many minorities up there but it doesn't mean we are all racist inbred hicks, and that stereotype is getting really ****ing old.[/QUOTE]

[font="trebuchet ms"] If this happened in Georgia, I would write "although the fact that this happened in a small rural town of Georgia explained some of it". I'm basically saying "small rural town in the south". It just so happened that it happened in W. Virginia this time. [/font]

[The13thMan]

[quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"]I hear about hate crimes, but hearing the specifics of the kidnappers' torture is just sickening. [/font][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]Yes, yes it is very sickening. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.

Of course this is horrible... the only thing we can do is, as individuals, go about our lives trying to make whatever small positive differences we can. Actually, i should say that's the only practical thing we can do. There are plenty of things that would take us really going out of our ways to help out, but i don't think anybody's up for that. It's unfortunate. I think it's just important to treat people well and try your best to educate people of their ignorances whenever you can to make this world a better place.
[/FONT][/COLOR]
[quote name='ForestCrusader']It's true that we don't have many minorities up there but it doesn't mean we are all racist inbred hicks, and that stereotype is getting really ****ing old.[/quote]
[COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]Hey buddy, chill out.

[/FONT][/COLOR]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='ForestCrusader']I'm from Wast Virginia and this little snippet, "(although the fact that is happened in a small rural town of W. Virginia explained some of it)", is a load of ignorant ****.

It's true that we don't have many minorities up there but it doesn't mean we are all racist inbred hicks, and that stereotype is getting really ****ing old.[/QUOTE]I wouldn't go so far as to call it ignorant, this type of thing can go both ways. Either people are shocked that something in a small town could occur or they are not surprised since a certain level of ignorance is more common because the locals simply refuse to accept that anyone they know could be like that. So they turn a blind eye to the signs of trouble because they can't or won't accept that such things would happen in a rural town.

Now as for the incident itself. It's just sick and I don't have much else to say on it because I really don't know the details. And to be honest it sounds like people are jumping the gun and demanding hate crime charges when it sounds like they are going after the charges that hold the greatest consequences for those sick individuals. Which in my opinion is really whats important, prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. Not on what might be more 'politically' correct. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]Beth summed it up pretty well, instead of getting in a twist that they're not pursuing this as a hate crime, people should be more supportive of the fact that the DA is pursuing this in such a way as to get the maximum possible sentences for those involved. Honestly though, I think no amount of prison time would be just for the absolutely monstrous acts those guys committed. [/SIZE]

[P.J. McKrafty]

I admit, now that I read what I wrote I could've taken that a lot calmer, but I digress. even if they did pursuit it as a hate crime that would only get them a couple months at the most and the other stuff they are looking at is a decent time in jail.

[Andy]

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="2"]I agree with Gavin, there is just absolutely no amount of year's you can spend in prison to atone for such a crime. If you ask me, I think the ****er's should get the death penalty. I mean there is no telling just how much pain they put that poor woman through. It's really sick to hear that there are people like that out there who would do something like that.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[eleanor]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Beth summed it up pretty well, instead of getting in a twist that they're not pursuing this as a hate crime, people should be more supportive of the fact that the DA is pursuing this in such a way as to get the maximum possible sentences for those involved. Honestly though, I think no amount of prison time would be just for the absolutely monstrous acts those guys committed. [/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[font="trebuchet ms"] Well, that was part of my point. They should get full time, and if committing a hate crime adds ten more years to their sentence, so be it. I don't know how the legal system really works, though, so I might just be talking out of my butt here.[/font]

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"] -FOX News

And for some absurd reason, these six people are not being charged with hate crime because "Logan County prosecutors say they have not ruled out hate-crime charges but are focusing on the counts already filed, including kidnapping and sexual assault, which have tougher maximum sentences. Federal prosecutors, meanwhile, have not sought civil-rights charges." [/font][/QUOTE]You gotta love how people are getting upset over them pursuing serious charges and not immediately going after the hate crime charges as well. I mean I did a little digging and found this:
[INDENT]In many states, the hate crime charge only applies to certain offenses such as assault, battery, and criminal damage to property. The purpose of the sentence-enhancing feature is to attach more serious penalties to bias-motivated crimes in an effort to demonstrate the seriousness with which we, as a society, address hate violence. Higher-level felonies already have serious consequences regardless of the offender?s motivation. A murder based on the victim?s race, for example, while certainly a hate crime, would likely not be charged as a hate crime under a penalty-enhancement statute. The criminal penalties for murder are already the most severe, so it would not make sense from a prosecutor?s perspective to also charge the perpetrator with lesser included penalties. [/INDENT]
As well as this:
[INDENT]Some prosecutors have expressed a reluctance to prosecute bias crimes because of the additional evidentiary burden at trial, but proving the element of intent at trial is not unique to hate crime statutes. Many criminal offenses ? including possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, aggravated battery or assault on a peace officer, or murder in the first degree ? require additional intent elements to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.[/INDENT]
It makes sense to me to go for the sure deal and worry about whether or not they can prove beyond reasonable doubt that it was a hate crime as well. I mean from what I've read it sounds like it was, but I'm not going to second guess the ones who would know and instantly cry for it when they are already going after the charges that are more serious. Also there is this to consider:
[INDENT]In hate crime cases, criminal defendants will sometimes plead guilty to a lesser charge and in return the state will drop the hate crime charge.[/INDENT]
I'd rather see them totally get nailed instead of being given the chance to bargain their way out of a charge that carries less weight. Anyway, people who would do that to another person are sick.

[eleanor]

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']
I'd rather see them totally get nailed instead of being given the chance to bargain their way out of a charge that carries less weight. Anyway, people who would do that to another person are sick.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"] Well, that was part of my point. They should get full time, and if committing a hate crime adds ten more years to their sentence, so be it. I don't know how the legal system really works, though, so I might just be talking out of my butt here.[/font][/QUOTE]

[font="trebuchet ms"] But I'm guessing that adding the hate crime would probably end up complicating the legal actions and just make it a longer process. [/font]

[Metalcore501]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Beth summed it up pretty well, instead of getting in a twist that they're not pursuing this as a hate crime, people should be more supportive of the fact that the DA is pursuing this in such a way as to get the maximum possible sentences for those involved. Honestly though, I think no amount of prison time would be just for the absolutely monstrous acts those guys committed. [/SIZE][/QUOTE]

I agree with gavin also, If the french still used the gillitien I'de send them all there to be decapitated. ****ing racist pigs, around my town about 10 years ago a man was sentenced life for raping the butchering over 45 males. Apparently he was a canibal stockpiling the body parts.... thats REALLY ****** UP!!!!

[Akieen Cloud]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Navy"]Okay, I agree with some things here, but I'm sideing most with Crusader here, also being from WV myself I know that not all "small towns" Are like that, also living in North carolina I know that not all small towns in the south are like that either,some people grow up with parents who were raised the old way and are just ignorant, it's not the town and certainly not the state or county's fault by any means. I grew up in Richlands NC one of the smallest towns i can think of, we were a dot on the map and I can tell you this much, something like that was never tolerated from there, the other thing that I was alittle peeved about was WV is not from the south, south ends at Virginia, WV is considered North, and the only reason that got on my nerves is because of the fact that I may be from WV but I was raised in NC so I have more pride for that then anything. I just wanted to say that I hadn't heard of this so it kinda creeped me out considering that my husband and I know a Megan Williams who is 20 and is black. But I can't see why she would be in WV. So if anyone can please gimma a discription on her that would be helpful cause now we're kina worried about her.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"] But I'm guessing that adding the hate crime would probably end up complicating the legal actions and just make it a longer process. [/font][/QUOTE]My understanding of the hate laws is that if there is doubt as to whether or not it can be proven in court, most of the time, they will not attempt to try them for it and instead try them for the more provable crime. It certainly sounds provable, but then my knowledge of what is required is non-existent. In the end, so long as they are being tried and dealt with, I think the issue of tacking on the hate crime bit is really unnecessary.

Anyway, there is no doubt in my mind that anyone who would do what they did to that woman is sick and needs to be locked away for good. When people sink that low... It's sad really.

[Odin M Yggdrasi]

I could have sword the reason that West Virginia was split off the main Virginia before the Civil War was because the folk in West Virginia opposed slavery and mistreatment of other races, while the people in Virginia wanted to keep their slaves no matter what.

I guess there are still hate-crime level racist people out there, especially in the southeast US, where you do still get confederates from time to time.

People these days do sick and disgusting things I guess, they shouldn't but nobody is willing to stop them, nor are they going to even bother finding or resisting them all.

[Aaryanna]

[COLOR="goldenrod"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][quote name='Odin M Yggdrasi']People these days do sick and disgusting things I guess, they shouldn't but nobody is willing to stop them, nor are they going to even bother finding or resisting them all.[/QUOTE]Are you honestly trying to say that they are Confederates? And that we need to be finding and resisting them? You're confusing. The Civil War was hundreds of years ago. XP

Also, how could someone know in advance that someone is going to do something like that? It's not an issue of no one being willing... Often it's an issue of people being unaware. The only thing that needs to be found and resisted, is working on getting rid of prejudice if this case was racially motivated. Otherwise, what exactly are we resisting here or finding? It's not like you can go from home to home and say, excuse me but are you planning on kidnapping someone, and doing to them what happened to this woman?

Anyway, the whole thing is just sick and depraved and really shows that there are people out there who are lower than scum. I say lock them up, toss the key and walk away. That sort of behavior is pathetic. I can think of other more appropriate punishments, but I'm sure you can imagine just what I'm alluding to here. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[Odin M Yggdrasi]

[quote name='Aaryanna'][COLOR="goldenrod"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Are you honestly trying to say that they are Confederates? And that we need to be finding and resisting them? You're confusing. The Civil War was hundreds of years ago. XP
[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

The civil war might have been hundreds of years ago, but it still rages to this day, just not on the battlefield. I should know, even living in the north my brother is a confederate, and we fight constantly, though ususally not over that issue.

Also I said there are some still in existance, that doesn't mean everyone who lives towards the south is. Though I know I have at least one uncle who is known to be, living in Georgia no less.

And I wouldn't put it past any of those who still hate people of other cultures to do something like this.

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[quote name='Odin M Yggdrasi']I could have sword the reason that West Virginia was split off the main Virginia before the Civil War was because the folk in West Virginia opposed slavery and mistreatment of other races, while the people in Virginia wanted to keep their slaves no matter what.

I guess there are still hate-crime level racist people out there, especially in the southeast US, where you do still get confederates from time to time.

People these days do sick and disgusting things I guess, they shouldn't but nobody is willing to stop them, nor are they going to even bother finding or resisting them all.[/QUOTE]

[color=#9933ff][font=lucida calligraphy]It was a vote in 1863 where the residents of Western Virginia decided to join the union. Funny that it took them two years to make that decision. I think it had more to do with the fact that the south was starting to lose the war than slavery, but it did seem to help their cause.

Anyways, it doesn't matter where you live whether it's a large metropolitan city or a small town, or you live in the north or the south every place has their backwards inbred rednecks.

Case in point I had a woman who's grandson was this little chicken *censored* bigot. He threw around the 'n' word whenever he got the chance- especially to the woman's ILS drivers who where black. He was so white trash he would have been out of his element in Arkansas.

Another example happened back in 2001 after 9/11. A friend of mine and I were riding through one of the local parks and there were two pick up trucks that had large ply wood signs with the words: Death to all towel heads.

Just goes to show you that you can live way up north and still have the red necks.

People are trying to make stuff like this a thing of the past, but you can't stop people from being idiots. Or just being plain dispicable. At least in this case the courts are going for more serious charges like kidnapping and assualt so hopefully the next imbecile will think twice before doing something like this.[/color][/font]