MT - James Hurley, 12, tortured to death, W. Yellowstone, Feb 2020 grandparents & uncle arrested #1

[Trudie]

Still not too late to charge Madison.

there was a lot of speculation about MS, false reports of an arrest, etc. I think she’s been hauled in for questioning numerous Xs, leading people to believe she was in fact charged. I’m keeping my fingers crossed she gets a charge or two. She evidently drives, has a phone & spent a lot of time away, she should have reported.

 

[mickey2942]

there was a lot of speculation about MS, false reports of an arrest, etc. I think she’s been hauled in for questioning numerous Xs, leading people to believe she was in fact charged. I’m keeping my fingers crossed she gets a charge or two. She evidently drives, has a phone & spent a lot of time away, she should have reported.

I am not giving her a "pass". But this is why family members don't report, because they know what will come down. Better to just stay away, pretend to see nothing.

This type of dysfunctional environment is so stressful for the entire family. A culture of secrecy. Fear. It is so much trauma, even for the ones not being targeted.

 

[shotgun09]

IMO, as much as I would like to have the 18 yo charged with something, they have no video proof like they have with the other 4, and I don't know if she ever laid a hand on poor Alex. Failure to report would get a slap on the wrist, and I can imagine her life right now is continuous slapping by peers alone. I just pray she never becomes a parent.

 

[Trudie]

Friday, March 6th:
*Arraignment Hearing (@ am MT) – MT – James Alexander Hurley (12) (found Feb. 3, 2020 deceased in living room, West Yellowstone) - for *James Danny Sasser, Jr. (47) (paternal grandfather) arrested (2/12/20) & charged (2/13/20) with 1 count of felony deliberate homicide. $500K bond.
For *Patricia “Trish” Lynn Batts (48) aka Patricia Sasser & Patricia Rone (paternal grandmother) arrested (2/12/20 & charged (2/13/20) with 1 count of felony deliberate homicide. $750K bond.
2/13/20 Update: Grandparents initial appearance in court. Batts bond set at $750K & Sasser Jr. at $500K. Did not enter any pleas, but requested public defenders. Next arraignment hearing on 3/6 for both.
*James Danny Sasser III (14) (uncle of James) arrested (2/12/20) & charged (2/18/20) with 1 count of felony deliberate homicide (as an adult). Held in Yellowstone Youth Center juvenile facility in Billings. $500K bond.
2/12/20 Update: James Sasser III appeared in juvenile court. Youth court will determine if he stands trial as adult. 2/18/20: DA has filed charges as an adult with Deliberate Homicide (which in Montana can be the equivalent of Murder in First Degree) and Gallatin County Judge John Brown on Wed. (2/19/20) set a hearing for 3/5/20 to decide whether to try JSIII as an adult for torturing & beating James Alex to death. Defense filed motion to rescind that decision and remand it back into the juvenile system.
3/5/20 Update: Sasser III appeared via video in Gallatin County Justice Court & entered a plea of not guilty. Sasser's bail was set at $500,000. He is expected to be tried as an adult; that determination will be made officially at his next court appearance on July 7. He remains in custody at a juvenile facility in Billings.
*Gage Anthony Roush (18) (Friend of JSIII) arrested (2/13/20 & charged (2/14/20) with felony assault on a minor. $50K bond.
2/14/20 Update: Roush made initial appearance in court. His case will continue in District Court. Bond set at $50K. No update as of 3/6.
James was sent to live with his father by his mother; father died in 2018 & ended up living with grandparents. Videos of abuse dating back to December 2019. "Detectives observed videos of what appeared to be the family torturing (James)," the complaint said. Instances of the abuse included James being forced to do exercises -- jumping jacks and wall squats -- along with standing in front of a fan with no clothing but his underwear, according to the complaint. Videos reviewed by detectives also showed the suspects spraying James in the face with an unknown substance that burned him and choking him, & detectives also found food in the house was locked up so James did not have access to it. Roush could be seen on cell phone video beating Hurley with a paddle. Under Montana law, deliberate homicide by means of torture is one of the aggravating circumstances that would allow the county attorney’s office to seek the death penalty.”

@Niner I’m bringing your info over......
Today is an arraignment hearing..., not actual arraignment?

 

[Trudie]

IMO, as much as I would like to have the 18 yo charged with something, they have no video proof like they have with the other 4, and I don't know if she ever laid a hand on poor Alex. Failure to report would get a slap on the wrist, and I can imagine her life right now is continuous slapping by peers alone. I just pray she never becomes a parent.

It would surprise me none if video of MS participating surfaces. I think she deserves to have a blemish on her background report. Jmo

 

[Trudie]

I do love how candid they all appear to be. What a great help to LE. We all know most criminals lie & deny. Even those with overwhelming evidence against them pull the “not guilty” crap. The S family seem very matter of fact.
I guess JR has yet to speak. I need to do a few things, maybe one of you will find some info about court activity.

 

[mickey2942]

I do love how candid they all appear to be. What a great help to LE. We all know most criminals lie & deny. Even those with overwhelming evidence against them pull the “not guilty” crap. The S family seem very matter of fact.
I guess JR has yet to speak. I need to do a few things, maybe one of you will find some info about court activity.

Probably the fact that they are detoxing from alcohol could be part of the issue. And, as you say, the video evidence is damning.

 

[Niner]

@Niner I’m bringing your info over......
Today is an arraignment hearing..., not actual arraignment?

I believe an actual arraignment. It was in an article way back when... please don't ask me to go look - I'm going to bed now - maybe tomorrow I will look if nothing happens today with them.

 

[Trudie]

@Niner your post from yesterday refers to it as an arraignment hearing. So, Idk

 

[Trudie]

Is PB married to JR or did they only live together?

 

[Lusitana]

Oh Jesus Christ. I was hoping at least SOMEONE in that house didn't abuse this poor kid.

 

[Dave F.]

Is PB married to JR or did they only live together?[/QUOTE
Under Montana law, they are married because they cohabited as husband and wife, represented themselves as married in public repute, were of minds that were capable of understanding what they were doing, and mutually agreed to act in a spousal arrangement. What she called herself has nothing to do with it (except when she called herself Mrs. Sasser which was an act of representing herself as married in public repute). IMO, IANAL
Common Law Marriage and Divorce in Montana | Montana Family Law Blog
Montana Cadastral
Geocode:06-0085-24-3-04-06-0000 Assessment Code:00RQF20637
Primary Owner: PropertyAddress:325 BUFFALO DR
SASSER JANES DANNY II & PATRICIA LYNN WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT 59758

 

[Songbird1973]

Is PB married to JR or did they only live together?

They were married the 20th of May, 2006.

When I researched PB on Ancestry, I made a page for her which I attached a screen shot of.

Also a screenshot of the marriage record on Ancestry.

And here is the link for the marriage record, but without a membership I don't think it will be viewable. Join Ancestry

 

[Trudie]

@Dave F. Property value for their home soared after they purchased it. Do you know what JR does career wise? I’m curious, was he away a lot? Did he coach football in effort to help #3 release aggression? I recall MS stating her dad thought about leaving and bringing the 6yo with him.

 

[Trudie]

So MS was already born at this point. Tysm

They were married the 20th of May, 2006.

When I researched PB on Ancestry, I made a page for her which I attached a screen shot of.

Also a screenshot of the marriage record on Ancestry.

And here is the link for the marriage record, but without a membership I don't think it will be viewable. Join Ancestry

 

[Trudie]

Batts admitted that she allowed Sasser III to punish the boy when she wasn’t home, but claimed she had no idea how her grandson died — nor did she feel responsible for his death, according to court documents.

The boy’s grandfather, meanwhile, told investigators he considered Batts’ punishments to be extreme, adding that he was intending to divorce her and raise the family’s children alone, the newspaper reports.

Batts has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, criminal child endangerment, and strangulation of a partner or family member in the death of her grandson. She may face the death penalty if convicted.
https://nypost.com/2020/03/06/montana-teen-pleads-not-guilty-in-death-of-12-year-old-nephew/

**this goes with my line of thinking, SJR was not as involved. No excuses though. He did nothing to help Alex. Was everyone in that house under the thumbs of PB?

 

[Trudie]

I find nothing about court appearances today.

 

[Trudie]

From link in post 696


Sasser III allegedly acknowledged kicking Hurley in the head multiple times in the 24 to 36 hours before his death, charging documents said.

But investigators found video evidence that the boy’s grandparents had abused him regularly before he died, along with footage of beatings from Sasser III and another man known to the family, Gage Roush, 18, who has been charged with felony assault of a minor.

**well, grandparents-plural........

 

[mickey2942]

Batts admitted that she allowed Sasser III to punish the boy when she wasn’t home, but claimed she had no idea how her grandson died — nor did she feel responsible for his death, according to court documents.

The boy’s grandfather, meanwhile, told investigators he considered Batts’ punishments to be extreme, adding that he was intending to divorce her and raise the family’s children alone, the newspaper reports.

Batts has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, criminal child endangerment, and strangulation of a partner or family member in the death of her grandson. She may face the death penalty if convicted.
https://nypost.com/2020/03/06/montana-teen-pleads-not-guilty-in-death-of-12-year-old-nephew/

**this goes with my line of thinking, SJR was not as involved. No excuses though. He did nothing to help Alex. Was everyone in that house under the thumbs of PB?

He was just lazy. He didn't want to deal with it, so he ignored it.

 

[Trudie]

He was just lazy. He didn't want to deal with it, so he ignored it.

I think so. And, he likely was thinking about divorce court, finances, uprooting the kids, who’d get this & that. Normal things anyone contemplating divorce consider. Moo
Maybe he thought football would give him one on one time with #3 & he could straighten him up? Imo, PB has accepted blame, whether she feels at fault or not. Also, it seems like she did encourage #3 to abuse Alex. WTH was going on in her head? Marital probs? Financial woes?

We now know why PB claims she pulled Alex from school. Therefore, if this goes to trial, a teacher or principal should testify. Pulling Alex for one infraction seems severe. I wonder, was he a problem student? I’d also love to see his home curriculum. If Alex did grope a girl, I can’t help but think he was put up to it by someone....maybe an uncle.