Brothers Guilty in Beating at Bible Study

[joeybee12]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bible-Study-Beating.html

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A pastor and his brother were convicted Wednesday in the beating of a Bible student, who was struck repeatedly with a tree branch after acting up during a summer church program.

Joshua Thompson and his twin brother, Caleb, 23, were convicted of felony charges of injury to a child and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the beating of Louie Guerrero, who was 11 at the time.

Prosecutors say the beating caused injuries so severe that Guerrero spent a week in intensive care under the threat of kidney failure and needed a blood transfusion.

``I knew they were going to be guilty. I wasn't worried about it,'' said Guerrero's mother, Norma Arellano. ``It hurt me very much what they did to my son.''

The jury deliberated about three hours. Sentencing was set for Thursday when they could face anything from probation to life in prison.

The courtroom, which was packed with Guerrero's family and church members, was silent when the verdicts were read. The Thompsons showed no outward reaction as the convictions were announced.

Several members of the fundamentalist Capitol City Baptist Church left in tears after the twins were taken into custody. Guerrero flashed a big smile when he walked out with his family.

Prosecutor Beth Payan called the Thompson brothers ``cowards'' and ``bullies'' and said the beating was a ``cold, calculated, violent act against a little boy.''

At one point during closing arguments, Payan raised a yardstick over her head and smacked it down on a table in front of the jury to simulate the beating.

Guerrero, now 12, and a doctor who treated him said he was hit at least 100 times. Jurors saw graphic photos of the boy's back with red and purple bruises

[T Roosevelt]

1. Hmmm, Joshua and Caleb...

beating a kid named Guerrero...in Bible study...in Texas. Why does absolutely NONE of this surprise me?

[joeybee12]

2. I don't know, doesn't surprise me either

If it were in California, I MIGHT be surprised, but only slightly. Those names are dead give-aways!

[arcane1]

3. GMTA

was just thinking the same thing...

where do the PR buzz-words like "values", "family", "compassion", "child", fit in here...?

:shrug:

[alittlelark]

10. Lets make them DEM values

given that we are the only ones that seem to value them - except in rhetoric

[Scott Lee]

7. I can see where you're going. I live in New Mexico.

[alittlelark]

11. I'm from there and can relate

Grew up there as an AF brat. I'll be back there for a couple of weeks soon (ABQ). NM is a world of it's own. I have lived many places during that time from the deep south (Air War College) to DC to Berkeley. Dad has since renounced his religious belief in our country - big time.

Anyway, I digress. I understand fully the sur-name issue and all that it can convey thoughout the west, midwest and southwest.

Diversity training should be required among all religious leaders, especially in these areas. Lets get Sharpton and Brown to do it(until they become cabinet members or ambassadors)!

[0007]

25. Because working for the Lord and brotherly love is ...

a very patriotic thingy for some Texans, and some Americans. LOL!

[bluestateguy]

4. What wonderful "Christians" these men are

These stupid conservative white men are nothing more than terrorists; the moral equivalent of Al Qaeda, as far as I am concerned.

[NNN0LHI]

5. I hope these guys believe in hell? Cause thats where they are going n/t

[coralrf]

6. I am 'praying' for them..

I guess you can call it that..I am praying they get life plus 99

Is against the DU rules to hope that these might fine Christians get a dose of 'jail sex'?

Guess not, moderators fire me an "I deleted" notice as soon as possible....

[opihimoimoi]

8. These guy thought/believed they had "license" to do this beating.

Using the religion as an excuse, they enjoyed this sadistic action against a little kid. They fucking luved it, got their jollies beating another human to inflict pain.

Jail time is appropriate. Send a message, make it LIFE

[TexasPatriot]

26. this was actually covered as big news locally

the closing arguments were live on the local cable outlet

the gist of the defense was that the 2 boys - and they were boys - who did the beating 'had never punished a child before' and thus somehow didn't realize that they were over the top. Of course, the other defense was that yeah, they beat the kid, but maybe he was beaten up before or after - that maybe it wasnt their fault.

needless to say, that didnt wash. texans, in general, have a real issue about taking responsibility for your actions. It didnt take long to return the verdict.

[aquart]

15. Now that's a practical use of prayer.

[aquart]

16. Now that's a practical use of prayer.

[farmboxer]

9. Jerry Falwell Trains His Fundamentalist Brothers Well!

Falwell is a fascist bastard! Fat pig! Hypocrites, they are! We all know that the Jesus figure said the beat the Hell out of everyone and make war like Bush!

In Bush's addendum to the Bible: "Blessed be the rich, to Hell with the poor/middleclass!"

[Pale_Rider]

12. As Buddy Christ would say ...

"'And they brought young children to Him, that He should touch them: and His disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God' (Mark 10:13-14).



As Buddy Smith would say ...

These two yahoos ain't Christians ...

[ImoniT]

13. its not just what they did thats sic

But for me its their demented thought process...

"The brothers admitted the beating but disputed the blow count and its intensity."

So if they only had hit him er.. 52 times, that makes it OK in their minds and I quess in their twisted minds they thought that being threated for kidney failure, puncture wounds and in need of a blood transfusion PROVES that they didn't hit him THAT HARD!

"When I lay my head on my pillow at night, I try to forgive myself," Caleb Thompson said.

Sure, I'd say that only started after you knew you and your brother got CAUGHT beating this poor kid half to death!

Both are extremely sic individuals and deserve a life sentence.

Nuff Said!

[incontrovertible]

14. they're getting time

It took three hours to return convictions. They basically admitted the beating on the stand, and claimed the kid's parents asked them to do it.

This is a weird church. White 20 year-old "associate pastors" "ministering" to a "church" consisting mostly of Mexican immigrants who speak little English. It has an a cultic quality about itself.

This took place in Austin. The conservatism of Texas in general has little to do with it, except it might during sentencing, if the notoriousl lenient Travis County jury lets them off light. If this were Williamson County - the most conservative, and most religious in the STATE, lying just north of Travis County and consisting mostly of bedroom communities for Austin - they'd both get life in prison. As is, I expect they'll get "10 years," which means, out in 18 months. I can name several Austinite defendants who killed children a lot more mercilessly than this, who got out in less than ten years.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Here's an article written soon after the beating

(snip) Texas pastor, brother charged with severely beating boy for cheating in Bible study
By Jim Vertuno
Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN, Texas - A church pastor and his twin brother have been charged with severely beating an 11-year-old boy with a stick as punishment for cheating during his Bible studies.

According to police, the 22-year-old pastor beat Louie Guerrero for an hour on July 3 while the brother held him down, at one point allowing the boy a bathroom break.

The boy remained hospitalized Tuesday, where a nurse told investigators that his kidneys had failed and that he required a blood transfusion. The family's attorney, Bobby Taylor, said the boy was in fair condition.

Joshua Thompson, pastor at Capitol City Baptist Church, and his brother Caleb turned themselves in to police Tuesday. Both men are charged with felony injury to a child, punishable by up to life in prison.

Detective Douglas Havens said the boy told police that Joshua Thompson, who runs services for the church's Spanish-speaking members, accused him of cheating on memorized Bible verses. (snip/...)

http://www.corpun.com/usr00207.htm

"Cheating on memorized Bible verses."

Unbelievable.

[htuttle]

20. Well now, that explains it...

I mean, come on, you know how much importance Jesus put on memorizing bible verses!

Lord, protect me from your followers...

Seriously. Are they really working from the same book I was taught about as a child in Sunday school? Was there a major revision of it at some point that I'm unaware of?

[0007]

27. Thanks for the link JudiLyn -

These folks are some sick moustaches.

[KayLaw]

18. Sick, sick, sick

No wonder people despise fundies so. Poor little kid!

[NashVegas]

19. 23 Years Old!!!

When I first heard about this story, I assumed the perps were old farts. That people this young are committing these violent acts shows they are no different from the zealots Pakistani madrasas are turning out.

Where're the deprogrammers that specialize in Christian cults?

[devinsgram]

21. This is why I don't want any part of organized religion

They do things in the name of God, so they say. The God I believe in would never want another to harm anyone in his or her name.

[joycep]

28. Please do not blame organized religion for this

I do not believe these people had any religion. This would never ever happen in my church. No one and I do mean no one would tolerate something like this. We would have been cheering the verdict instead of crying. I hope these bastards are locked up forever. And then some!

[AntiCoup2K4]

22. Anybody know where I can find some millstones?

I'd like to hang one around these bastards' necks :grr: (Matthew 18:6)

[bushisanidiot]

23. Too Many Use "God" As a Reason To Use Violence. The Hypocritical Idiots.

blah

[smirkymonkey]

24. "We'll beat the love of GOD into you..

even if it kills you!"

What sick bastards!

[PurityOfEssence]

29. Now, THAT'S Bible-thumpin'!

Never put it past a fundy to not be literal, y'all...

Well, I say we whup on them. Isn't there somethin' in there about "spare the rod, spoil the childbeater"?

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

30. I thought Christianity wuz "good" and "Islam" wuz EVIL

Ain't that why we're takin' over them there countrees?

Christians R all good peeple and Muslums is violent terra-ists-

Capitol City Babtist Church--yee haw

[thebeaglehaslanded]

31. Exemplary compassionate Christians!

Way to go, boys!

[Moderator]

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