GUILTY FL - Boy in a Box abuse trial - Parents, Timothy & Tracy Ferriter Arrested, Jupiter, Feb 2022

[RickshawFan]

I am trusting there are parents on the jury who know what child abuse is by instinct and experience. They will know what's reasonably normal. There will almost certainly be someone on the panel who has been abused, too; they might even have freaked out over the videos.

This is not like a murder trial where there will be few, if any, jurors who've had a murder somewhere in their backgrounds. Most people have an idea about "good enough" parenting; this should play out in the jury room. I have faith.

 

[Weki]

So the defense expert says a child’s behavior becomes troubling when it’s persistent and there’s a pattern. Also when punishment by the school or parents doesn’t stop the behavior. OK. But I’m still not seeing a persistent troubling behavior by this child. It really seems like they are exaggerating it. This is what abusive parents do. And children are seen through their parents eyes often.

Being mad at his siblings and taking out his anger at them makes perfect sense. As he’s being treated like a prisoner while they are living “normal” lives. Hitting the dog with the bike - again seems like anger, which makes sense. Stealing candy - oooohhhh call the police! This is so ridiculous!

JMO

 

[arielilane]

Recess until 1:30 pm ET, for lunch.

 

[RickshawFan]

I find it so hard to swallow that an expert would come and defend this abuse and say it wasn’t that bad! Wow

Agree @Jurisprudence this trial is abuse by proxy. That’s why I find it so gross that he chose to take it to trial when he was offered such a good deal. He prob would’ve been out in 7 months for good behavior.

JMO

Yeah, he probably would have been out by now already, and getting on with life.

Can you imagine how Tim will do in prison?

 

[RickshawFan]

Does the state get rebuttal?

 

[Jurisprudence]

Defense expert turning into a prosecution witness. She’s agreeing that they abused the child, essentially.

JMO

She tried to straddle the fence throughout imo and I couldn't figure out why considering the defense is paying big bucks for her (as we heard her testify on cross). But, then her further testimony caused it all to make sense. This is basically her entire practice now (testifying). She works both sides (defense and prosecution), and has worked for various prosecution offices throughout the state, including Coakley's office she said, so of course she's straddling the fence. She wants to be hired again. Considering her vested interest in future employment she might not have been the best expert the defense could have selected. Then again, we also don't know if she's the only one (or one of the only ones) who said "yes" to them.

jmo

 

[Jurisprudence]

So the defense expert says a child’s behavior becomes troubling when it’s persistent and there’s a pattern. Also when punishment by the school or parents doesn’t stop the behavior. OK. But I’m still not seeing a persistent troubling behavior by this child. It really seems like they are exaggerating it. This is what abusive parents do. And children are seen through their parents eyes often.

Being mad at his siblings and taking out his anger at them makes perfect sense. As he’s being treated like a prisoner while they are living “normal” lives. Hitting the dog with the bike - again seems like anger, which makes sense. Stealing candy - oooohhhh call the police! This is so ridiculous!

JMO

Nice, right? And, little acknowledgement that a severe and disproportionate response (reaction,really), hasn't served to exacerbate any mild (imo) issue he may have had. How they can believe they haven't ruined this child is shocking. They have a child they've treated worse than a family pet who watches his siblings live in an air conditioned home, free to roam the house, yard, free to eat whatever they need, free to have playdates or get-togethers with friends, free to watch television, play games on electronic devices, and who when they do rarely get punished, only have a phone taken away, all as he sits inside a mostly dark, often hot, closed off 8x8 make-shift, windowless box in an Arizona and now Florida garage, hidden from the world with the exception of school, made to clean out his own feces and urine on the sneak so the neighbors do not see.

He's (the child) been quite remarkably restrained given what could have happened as a direct result of this abuse.

This is all jmo. I am no psychologist or psychiatrist.

 

[Jurisprudence]

Yeah, he probably would have been out by now already, and getting on with life.

Can you imagine how Tim will do in prison?

I'm thankful his arrogance compelled him to decline it.

jmo

 

[Weki]

She tried to straddle the fence throughout imo and I couldn't figure out why considering the defense is paying big bucks for her (as we heard her testify on cross). But, then her further testimony caused it all to make sense. This is basically her entire practice now (testifying). She works both sides (defense and prosecution), and has worked for various prosecution offices throughout the state, including Coakley's office she said, so of course she's straddling the fence. She wants to be hired again. Considering her vested interest in future employment she might not have been the best expert the defense could have selected. Then again, we also don't know if she's the only one (or one of the only ones) who said "yes" to them.

jmo

Yeah I think any expert who specializes in children who comes and testifies that this was not that bad would worry about their rep. And there’s just no way to justify what these parents did! She pretty much agreed/answered yes to all the prosecutors questions.

I also found it interesting that she’s a professional expert witness! Solely!

 

[arielilane]

Defense chose a selection of “lengthy" videos to be played. Only a small portion of chat from:

Law & Crime Live Chat

Cathy Russon

December 29, 2021You can see the kitchen and living room. Father and child inside the house walking around dining room and kitchen. Strolling around close to 2 sliding doors.

Cathy Russon

Father walks to kitchen. Child sits on couch in the living room which is right across the kitchen. House has an open floor map. All three rooms visible

Cathy Russon

Another angle of the rooms. Child is walking around the family room/living room. Mother and child walk through the kitchen.

Cathy Russon

There’s also a small child and another smaller child in the kitchen. Father is gathering some things in front of kitchen counter.

Cathy Russon

Father leaves the room after child walked out

Cathy Russon

Dec 30th, 2021Another angle shows father sitting on the corner of the couch. The child standing in front of him talking. Child walks towards the kitchen.

Cathy Russon

A smaller child is jumping about. Father gets up from the couch to the kitchen and comes back.

Cathy Russon

He sits at the couch again as child walks from the kitchen and sits at the opposite side of the L shaped couch.

Cathy Russon

Child gets back up and goes to the kitchen. It appears he walked outside through double patio doors. Father goes back to the kitchen.

Cathy Russon

Camera seems to be on top of a corner desk. Captures mainly the corner of the L shaped couch.

Cathy Russon

Sounds are heard from kitchen but no one seen on camera for a bit. The father walks around the kitchen on and off.

Cathy Russon

Father appears at the kitchen again. Couch on the left. Patio doors to the right. Kitchen in the back.

Cathy Russon

Tears for Fears song “everybody wants to rule the world” plays in background. Mother appears to go to kitchen from the patio or outside double doors.

Cathy Russon

Father appears again walking around the island of the kitchen. You see him on and off.

Cathy Russon

Kitchen is behind the view of the L shaped couch. Hard to see what’s happening in the kitchen. All you can see is the overhead oak wood cabinets. In front, a brown leather L-shaped couch.

Cathy Russon

Father comes back to sit on the corner of the couch in front of the TV. Then gets back up and towards the kitchen

Cathy Russon

No one in camera now. House inside has soft canary yellow painted walls oak wood fan in the living room. Oak wood Tv in front of the couch

Cathy Russon

Another person walks across the camera. He is wearing blue shorts and a white sleeveless shirt

Cathy Russon

Voices heard. Nothing much seen. Now three people walking across back and forth

Cathy Russon

A family goes outside. The two parents and 3 children. 2 dogs are now visible.

Cathy Russon

Some interaction with child that seems to play in between the couch and TV

Cathy Russon

Playful gestures

Cathy Russon

During sidebar- Jury taking notes. Some whisper to each other. They’re drinking water, coffee etc.


10 minute break

 

[Weki]

I get why his lawyers want the jury to see this but it makes ZERO difference and does not negate everything else they did. He wasn’t confined 24/7 is not the winning argument here! But they have nothing else so they have to play the hand they were dealt.

 

[Jurisprudence]

Defense chose a selection of “lengthy" videos to be played. Only a small portion of chat from:

Law & Crime Live Chat

Cathy Russon

December 29, 2021You can see the kitchen and living room. Father and child inside the house walking around dining room and kitchen. Strolling around close to 2 sliding doors.

...

SBM

Thank you for doing this.

 

[Jurisprudence]

I get why his lawyers want the jury to see this but it makes ZERO difference and does not negate everything else they did. He wasn’t confined 24/7 is not the winning argument here! But they have nothing else so they have to play the hand they were dealt.

You know what I was thinking? Well, I'm still half paying attention to the stream but first thought when they had video of him in the house was Oh, so they have cameras inside huh? How many separate days in this month (that they are proudly displaying to the jury) can he be caught on those cameras, in the house, interacting with (or mopping the floor) for this "family" of his? Just this one day with the exception of being permitted to use the bathroom before school and doing their family chores?

Has this been addressed at all (ETA: apart from BC's objection in an attempt to illustrate to the judge exactly why context - date and time are important). Are these videos from the same month, 6 months, year? Has anyone noticed defense's date recitations to tell us how frequently or infrequently he's interacting?

 

[GC Light]

Young people are not incarcerated for behaving like the victim. Even when incarcerated for serious crimes most still get to go out on the occasional outing with their families.

 

[Jurisprudence]

So, I wish we could see the jury because even with my previous half-tuned in attention span, she lost me with this and I've checked out. I wonder if the jury has. 3 hours of this since 1:30ish including watching them watch a football game. I wonder if the defense considered that she might be demonstrating to the jury that these two parents are okay to their other kids so long as those kids all act perfect. What happens when in the future when they don't? Every parent on the planet knows no kid will be perfect all the time. A conflict is bound to happen now and again. Then what? Or, is it just him - are they happy enough just abusing him?

Tragic.

jmo

 

[arielilane]

The videos don't help the defense. Judge is generous to allow more than one of them. moo.

 

[arielilane]

Deliberations possibly tomorrow. Jury to be present @1:00 pm ET. Court will end at 5:00 pm ET. TF is to decide tonight whether to testify or not tomorrow, and Judge advised him to discuss it with his attorney.

 

[RickshawFan]

You know what I was thinking? Well, I'm still half paying attention to the stream but first thought when they had video of him in the house was Oh, so they have cameras inside huh? How many separate days in this month (that they are proudly displaying to the jury) can he be caught on those cameras, in the house, interacting with (or mopping the floor) for this "family" of his? Just this one day with the exception of being permitted to use the bathroom before school and doing their family chores?

Has this been addressed at all (ETA: apart from BC's objection in an attempt to illustrate to the judge exactly why context - date and time are important). Are these videos from the same month, 6 months, year? Has anyone noticed defense's date recitations to tell us how frequently or infrequently he's interacting?

On this score...the daughter said the purpose of the yard camera was specifically to keep track of RF.

 

[momsof3]

Yeah, he probably would have been out by now already, and getting on with life.

Can you imagine how Tim will do in prison?

You know, that's a nice thought! This is the kind of "big man" that can't handle taking on a true equal so bullies children. I'm smiling thinking about some of the men Tim will be consorting with in prison.

For some reason the victim in the case really tugs at my heart, I've got three teens right now. Such a poignant age. What on earth did he do to deserve this life - and he still seems like he has empathy and sensitivity and wants to do well at school. I hope with all my being that he lands in a stable, loving situation he so thoroughly deserves. I'm also touched that his siblings retained enough humanity to worry about him.

 

[RickshawFan]

You know, that's a nice thought! This is the kind of "big man" that can't handle taking on a true equal so bullies children. I'm smiling thinking about some of the men Tim will be consorting with in prison.

For some reason the victim in the case really tugs at my heart, I've got three teens right now. Such a poignant age. What on earth did he do to deserve this life - and he still seems like he has empathy and sensitivity and wants to do well at school. I hope with all my being that he lands in a stable, loving situation he so thoroughly deserves. I'm also touched that his siblings retained enough humanity to worry about him.

I believe RF is very bright, but has been put in schools that weren't up to educating him academically. This is its own kind of torture. It might easily have contributed to acting out. At least, if he'd had good teachers who pushed him in school, he would have been able to fill his mind with stimulating thoughts; with the right teacher, he might also have had a role model for being super-bright.

The last place I would have put a kid like that is a parochial elementary school: uninspired curriculum, guilt-inducing and punitive, completely lacking in anything tasty that could excite, develop, and fill a mind. I say this from experience: the years I wasted (or rather, had wasted for me), with nothing better to do than look out the window and languish while my intellectual peers elsewhere were doing algebra, learning Latin and music theory, writing creatively, and reading Shakespeare.

There was no adequate education matched to this young man, and certainly zero enrichment.