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

[shotgun09]

I believe that there was huge resentment issues with PB regarding JAH and her son's death. Even his name ( he was called Alex) was probably a trigger for her. Add in a big-bully step-Uncle who was a spoiled monster and poor Alex had little chance.

 

[Niner]

Thursday, Nov. 19th:
*Trial continues (Day 2) (@ am MT) – MT – James Alexander Hurley (12) (found Feb. 3, 2020 deceased in living room, West Yellowstone) - for *Gage Anthony Roush (18) (Friend of JSIII) arrested (2/13/20), charged (2/14/20) & arraigned (3/9/20) with felony assault on a minor. Plead not guilty. $50K bond. Posted bond (5/25/20) & released.
Trial began 11/18/20.
Court info from 2/14/20 thru 7/29/20 reference post #957 here:
MT - James Hurley, 12, tortured to death, W. Yellowstone, Feb 2020 grandparents & 14 yo uncle arrest
11/18/20 Wednesday, Day 1 of Trial: Jury selection. No other info available. Trial continues on 11/19/20.
*Patricia “Trish” Lynn Batts (48/now 49) – Last Omnibus hearing on 7/29/20.
*Madison Sasser (18) – Last Omnibus hearing on 7/29/20.
*James Danny Sasser, Jr. (47/now 48) – Trial set to begin on 3/29/21.
*James Danny Sasser III (14/now 15) - 10/29/20: Judge Brown handed down a sentence that requires the teen to be detained at a juvenile detention facility until he turns 18. After his release, he will be on probation until he turns 25. The 15-year-old will not be registered as a violent offender. The plea deal came with multiple stipulations, including that the teen must remain in mental health counseling for the duration of his detainment and probation, that he cannot have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18 outside of fellow detainees, and he must pay $500 in restitution to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund.

 

[Niner]

Friday, Nov. 20th:
*Trial continues (Day 3) (@ am MT) – MT – James Alexander Hurley (12) (found Feb. 3, 2020 deceased in living room, West Yellowstone) - *Gage Anthony Roush (18) (Friend of JSIII) arrested (2/13/20), charged (2/14/20) & arraigned (3/9/20) with felony assault on a minor. Plead not guilty. $50K bond. Posted bond (5/25/20) & released.
Trial began 11/18/20.
Court info from 2/14/20 thru 7/29/20 reference post #957 here:
MT - James Hurley, 12, tortured to death, W. Yellowstone, Feb 2020 grandparents & 14 yo uncle arrest
11/18/20 Wednesday, Day 1 of Trial: Jury selection. No other info available. Trial continues on 11/19/20.
11/19/20 Thursday, Day 2 of Trial: No info available. Trial continues on 11/20/20.
*Patricia “Trish” Lynn Batts (48/now 49) – Last Omnibus hearing on 7/29/20.
*Madison Sasser (18) – Last Omnibus hearing on 7/29/20.
*James Danny Sasser, Jr. (47/now 48) – Trial set to begin on 3/29/21.
*James Danny Sasser III (14/now 15) - 10/29/20: Judge Brown handed down a sentence that requires the teen to be detained at a juvenile detention facility until he turns 18. After his release, he will be on probation until he turns 25. The 15-year-old will not be registered as a violent offender. The plea deal came with multiple stipulations, including that the teen must remain in mental health counseling for the duration of his detainment and probation, that he cannot have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18 outside of fellow detainees, and he must pay $500 in restitution to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund.

 

[Niner]

Anyone finding anything on this trial? I'm just getting old articles....

TIA!

 

[Niner]

up - anything on the trial that is supposed to be happening?

@Dave F. - ? I'm not getting any new articles, just oldies. Hear anything?

 

[Dave F.]

up - anything on the trial that is supposed to be happening?

@Dave F. - ? I'm not getting any new articles, just oldies. Hear anything?

No..........the "quiet season" for court activity will last until after the holidays. During this time, lawyers are typically quite busy moving the cases along, but anything newsworthy that happens will come as a surprise.
I don't believe that the trial of GR commenced on the 20th as scheduled. There is nothing being reported, and he has not re-entered either the Gallatin county jail or the Montana corrections system. My first guess is that it has been postponed until sometime after the first of the year, but it's only a guess.
Montana is under very severe, but voluntary, COVID 19 restrictions, with the court system virtually closed to the public at this time. There is currently no face-to-face activity going on, that can be postponed.
IMO

 

[Niner]

@Dave F. - thank you for the info! I shall stop posting the trial then. And wait....

 

[Niner]

Just

ing up - just in case someone "hears" anything new on this case!

 

[Niner]

West Yellowstone man sentenced for beating 12-year-old boy

Dec. 30, 2020

A West Yellowstone man was sentenced Tuesday to probation for striking a 12-year-old boy with a wooden paddle about a month before the boy was found dead.

Gage Roush, 19, was given a five year deferred sentence for assaulting James Alex Hurley in January. He is also required to go through counseling.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors recommended that Roush serve a suspended five year sentence in the Montana State Prison. A suspended sentence stays on a person’s record, whereas a defendant can petition to remove a deferred sentence.
[.....]
On Tuesday, Mull Core said that Roush took responsibility for what he did and was remorseful for his actions, which prosecutors recognized as well.

She said the sentence gives Roush the opportunity to prove that he could be a productive, rule-following person.

“I think it was an appropriate resolution for the case,” Mull Core said. “Gage is extremely remorseful.”
[.....]
Sasser III has been sentenced to the Montana Department of Corrections until he turns 18 as part of a plea agreement. After that, he’ll be on probation until he is 25 and is required to pay a $500 fine.

Sasser Jr. and Batts each face felony charges in connection to the boy’s death. They are being held at the Gallatin County jail.

Each have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have cases pending in Gallatin County District Court.

 

[Lusitana]

Unfortunately, I’m sure both Gage and Sasser III will spend the rest of their lives in and out of jail.

I highly doubt these two are willing to even put any effort into rehabilitating themselves.

It’s only a matter of time until Gage does something stupid and gets arrested.

 

[SuziQ]

West Yellowstone man sentenced for beating 12-year-old boy

Dec. 30, 2020

A West Yellowstone man was sentenced Tuesday to probation for striking a 12-year-old boy with a wooden paddle about a month before the boy was found dead.

Gage Roush, 19, was given a five year deferred sentence for assaulting James Alex Hurley in January. He is also required to go through counseling.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors recommended that Roush serve a suspended five year sentence in the Montana State Prison. A suspended sentence stays on a person’s record, whereas a defendant can petition to remove a deferred sentence.
[.....]
On Tuesday, Mull Core said that Roush took responsibility for what he did and was remorseful for his actions, which prosecutors recognized as well.

She said the sentence gives Roush the opportunity to prove that he could be a productive, rule-following person.

“I think it was an appropriate resolution for the case,” Mull Core said. “Gage is extremely remorseful.”
[.....]
Sasser III has been sentenced to the Montana Department of Corrections until he turns 18 as part of a plea agreement. After that, he’ll be on probation until he is 25 and is required to pay a $500 fine.

Sasser Jr. and Batts each face felony charges in connection to the boy’s death. They are being held at the Gallatin County jail.

Each have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have cases pending in Gallatin County District Court.

A whole lot of people got duped by this psychopath.

 

[mickey2942]

Unfortunately, I’m sure both Gage and Sasser III will spend the rest of their lives in and out of jail.

I highly doubt these two are willing to even put any effort into rehabilitating themselves.

It’s only a matter of time until Gage does something stupid and gets arrested.

Apparently, an adult male can beat a child in Montana, and get zero prison time. Zero.

I suppose that the pity factor for Roush is that he was abused as a child, so that gave him a pass to participate in abusing JAH. Makes no sense to me. GR doesn't seem to be the brightest bulb on the tree, I agree that it is just a matter of time before he does something stupid, breaks his probation, and ends up in Deer Lodge. Where he belongs.

 

[Niner]

Hey Hey! Have court dates!

well - almost - need Batts' hearing date, but have her trial date. So if anyone sees a hearing date for her - please post! TIA!

Cases pending in connection to West Yellowstone boy's death

Dec. 31, 2020
Three of five people charged in connection to a West Yellowstone boy’s death still have cases pending in Gallatin County District Court.
[.....]
Patricia Batts, Hurley’s grandmother, faces several felony charges including deliberate homicide. Her case is scheduled for a 20-day trial to start on May 31, 2022.

In the interim, witnesses will be deposed, attorneys will file motions to shape how the trial will look and a judge will periodically check in with attorneys to ensure that they’ll be ready to go to trial on the scheduled date.

Madison Sasser, the boy’s aunt, will be in court Jan. 29 for negligent homicide and aggravated kidnapping, both felony charges.

Madison’s case is scheduled to be in court because a plea agreement has been reached, according to a motion. The motion states that the matter is expected to move to youth court, where Madison will likely be sentenced.

The same day, James Sasser Jr., Hurley’s grandfather, will have a status hearing for deliberate homicide and criminal child endangerment, both felony charges. The hearing is scheduled to talk about deadlines and potentially set a new trial date for his case. A trial scheduled for Sasser Jr.’s case was dropped after his attorney was replaced last month.

edited to add: I have JSJr's trial date as 3/29/21

 

[Niner]

I have this for Batts - if someone can access the court site - I can't...

Gallatin County Case# CR-20-63

 

[Lusitana]

I’m guessing Madison will get a similar outcome as Gage did.

 

[shotgun09]

Thank you all for the updates. Waiting for some form of Justice for this poor boy. So far, I just see hand slapping and finger pointing and waiving. All those involved are monsters in my eyes.

 

[mickey2942]

Cases pending in connection to West Yellowstone boy's death

This isn't new, just a link. Looks like Madison is being tried in Juvenile Court, probably will get probation.

 

[Niner]

Hello all - I'm posting these ahead of time as I will be unavailable - due to having surgery on Wednesday. I hope to be back on Friday - but you never know...
Please keep good info for me to follow up on!

Friday, January 29th:
*Plea Hearing (@ am MT) – MT – James Alexander Hurley (12) (found Feb. 3, 2020 deceased in living room, West Yellowstone) - for *Madison Sasser (18) – Arrested & charged (3/19/20) & arraigned (4/3/20) with negligent homicide & charged & arraigned (5/1/20) with aggravated kidnapping. Plead not guilty. Was held on $150K bond in Montgomery County jail in Texas. As of 4/3/20 in Gallatin county jail on $150K bond. Bond posted (5/25/20) & released.
3/19/20 Update: Madison Sasser, 18 (paternal aunt of James) was arrested in Conroe, Texas on Thursday afternoon. A warrant was issued for her arrest less than an hour beforehand, though it is unclear which law enforcement agency issued the warrant or if it's related to the case in West Yellowstone.
4/3/20 Update: MS was arraigned this afternoon in Gallatin County Justice Court in Bozeman & plead not guilty to negligent homicide. Elisabeth Montoya, defended Madison Sasser by phone. Montoya argued for a lower bail of $5,000 so Sasser could return to Texas with a relative and finish high school online. Bail was continued at $150K, and she is incarcerated near the family, in the Gallatin County Jail. Next pretrial hearing on 5/1/20.
5/1/20 Update: Plead not guilty to aggravating kidnapping & negligent homicide. The charging documents request Judge Brown set a hearing to try Madison Sasser as an adult for the kidnapping charge since she was a juvenile when she committed the offense. No further dates available. 5/25/20 Update: Madison posted bond and released. Next hearing on 7/29/20.
7/29/20 Update: Hearing was postponed. 12/31/20 Update: Madison will be in court 1/29/21 for negligent homicide & aggravated kidnapping, both felony charges. Madison’s case is scheduled to be in court because a plea agreement has been reached, according to a motion. The motion states that the matter is expected to move to youth court, where Madison will likely be sentenced.


ALSO:

*Status Hearing (@ am MT) – MT – James Alexander Hurley (12) (found Feb. 3, 2020 deceased in living room, West Yellowstone) - for *James Danny Sasser, Jr. (47/now 48) (paternal grandfather) arrested (2/12/20), charged (2/13/20) & arraigned (3/6/20) with 1 count of felony deliberate homicide. $500K bond.
Trial set to begin on March 29, 2021 (10 day trial)-might be rescheduled.
2/13/20 Update: Grandparents initial appearance in court. Sasser Jr. bond set at $500K. Did not enter any plea, but requested public defender. Next arraignment hearing on 3/6. 3/6/20 Update: No plea entered. Next pretrial hearing on 5/27/20 which was rescheduled on 6/25/20. 6/25/20 Update: Next pretrial hearing on 7/29/20.
7/29/20 Update: Sasser Jr’s trial is set on March 29, 2021 & will be a 10 day trial. 12/31/20 Update: Sasser Jr. will have a status hearing on 1/29/21 for deliberate homicide & criminal child endangerment, both felony charges. The hearing is scheduled to talk about deadlines & potentially set a new trial date for his case. A trial scheduled for Sasser Jr.’s case was dropped after his attorney was replaced last month.

 

[shotgun09]

Hello all - I'm posting these ahead of time as I will be unavailable - due to having surgery on Wednesday. I hope to be back on Friday - but you never know...
Please keep good info for me to follow up on!

Friday, January 29th:

RSBM

Wishing for a successful surgery and outcome for you Niner!
Thank you again for all you do for us!

 

[Niner]

Thanks @shotgun09 ! Surgery went smoothly - I'm still ALIVE!