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

[Trudie]

Patricia Batts is charged with deliberate homicide, aggravated kidnapping, criminal child endangerment and strangulation of partner or family member, all felonies, in the death of 12-year-old Alex Hurley.

45-5-215. Strangulation of partner or family member, MCA

 

[shotgun09]

JS Jr and Madison are in my eyes at this time, guilty for "going along to get along". PB and III were absolute monsters, and the two others were just happy it wasn't them that the rage and horror were directed at. Poor Alex, he just had no one.

 

[Trudie]

two others were just happy it wasn't them that the rage and horror were directed at

I was just thinking how pleased #3 must have felt administering punishment. Maybe he felt very adult like, too old & big to be punished.
I doubt Madison was ever punished.
The 6yo boy must be a psychological mess.

I’m sure Jr regrets not do or I gotta sooner. He was on his way to work when PB phoned to advise Alex had died (been murdered). Reading between the lines OT sounds like Jr avoided PB as much as possible. It appears she slept on the couch in order to keep Alex behind it.

 

[shotgun09]

I cant remember where I read it, but I believe the 6 yr old may have been ordered to spray Alex, (with the mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle). The whole family was jumping like marionettes to the crazed woman's demands. She needs to burn in hell, and take her giant sized creation with her

 

[Yuletide]

I think Madison was as abusive as JS Jr., or even more so.
No one has said they observed Jr. abusing Alex, not even PB has incriminated him.

Except for the video showing Jr denying Alex access to the restroom and when Alex complained he responded “so what” or something like that. He contributed to the abuse

 

[mickey2942]

he was drawing as a beneficiary from Tate, per report, not as a disabled person.

Yes, that is correct. Social Security Survivor benefits.

 

[mickey2942]

I cant remember where I read it, but I believe the 6 yr old may have been ordered to spray Alex, (with the mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle). The whole family was jumping like marionettes to the crazed woman's demands. She needs to burn in hell, and take her giant sized creation with her

What on earth creates a person like this? I wonder if she had been abused as a child. Not that it gives her any justification to abuse a child.

And apparently, PB slept on a sofa in the living room to make sure JAH didn't escape. The screwed up dysfunction of that house....

It seems to me to take up so much energy to be that mean. Isn't it easier to just give the kid a PB&J sandwich a few times a day, than to starve him? Easier to send him to school than abuse him all day?

So much negative energy.

 

[Dave F.]

@Dave F. One article stated PB could receive the DP if convicted. That the judge would determine her sentence. Did I misread? Lol.

No, you did not misread. The jury will decide what she is guilty of, and the judge will decide the appropriate sentence. If convicted of all charges as filed, she will fall well within the parameters and guidelines for the DP. It is still the judge's decision.
For an example, just last week in Billings a man who was charged with deliberate homicide was found guilty of murder in the first degree plus some other charges, and is awaiting sentencing (which is almost like another trial in scope). I have not yet heard a date for that.
JMO, IANAL

 

[shotgun09]

Alex was imprisoned, tortured, beaten and murdered in that home. There are videos and eye witnesses to prove this. And sadly, it will take years and years before this ever gets to a trial and conviction? It all just enrages me

 

[Trudie]

I read the same in a few articles! Teach em young, huh?

I cant remember where I read it, but I believe the 6 yr old may have been ordered to spray Alex, (with the mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle). The whole family was jumping like marionettes to the crazed woman's demands. She needs to burn in hell, and take her giant sized creation with her

 

[Trudie]

No, you did not misread. The jury will decide what she is guilty of, and the judge will decide the appropriate sentence. If convicted of all charges as filed, she will fall well within the parameters and guidelines for the DP. It is still the judge's decision.
For an example, just last week in Billings a man who was charged with deliberate homicide was found guilty of murder in the first degree plus some other charges, and is awaiting sentencing (which is almost like another trial in scope). I have not yet heard a date for that.
JMO, IANAL

thanks @Dave F. So MT does not seat a jury for sentencing? I prefer the judge making the decision, so often a juror has a soft spot.....

 

[Trudie]

Except for the video showing Jr denying Alex access to the restroom and when Alex complained he responded “so what” or something like that. He contributed to the abuse

Oh, I thought that was #3. Tysm for clarifying.

 

[mickey2942]

thanks @Dave F. So MT does not seat a jury for sentencing? I prefer the judge making the decision, so often a juror has a soft spot.....

As long as the judge is capable of making a good sentencing decision. There was a judge in Billings who sentenced a child rapist to 30 days in jail. Fortunately, he stepped down after the outrage.

 

[Dave F.]

As long as the judge is capable of making a good sentencing decision. There was a judge in Billings who sentenced a child rapist to 30 days in jail. Fortunately, he stepped down after the outrage.

The judge stepped down, but was still censured by the Montana Supreme Court and suspended from the bench for his last 30 days. The offender was resentenced to 15 years, spent about 30 more months behinds bars, and will be on parole for over a decade more. He is no longer a resident of this state.
Supreme Court orders suspension, public censure for Judge Baugh
Offender Search

(enter search name "rambold"

 

[Niner]

So.... no hearing or arraignment for PB or JS jr on Friday, 3/6??

TIA!

 

[Trudie]

So.... no hearing or arraignment for PB or JS jr on Friday, 3/6??

TIA!

maybe they had a closed door private hearing? Seems like we got new info regarding statements PB made.

 

[Niner]

Well they don't seem to update the court site, as GR is still showing court date of 2/14...

 

[Niner]

Monday, March 9th:
*Initial Appearance Hearing (@ 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) with felony assault on a minor. $50K bond. Gallatin County
2/14/20 Update: Roush made initial appearance in court. His case will continue in District Court. Bond set at $50K. Next initial appearance hearing in District Court on 3/9.
*James Danny Sasser, Jr. (47) (paternal grandfather) arrested (2/12/20) & charged (2/13/20) with 1 count of felony deliberate homicide. $500K bond. Gallatin County
*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. Gallatin County
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 PB & JS Jr.
*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. Gallatin County
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.
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.”

 

[NuttMegg]

Prosecutors release grisly details in 12-year-old boy's torture death
BBM "Those details include a neighbor’s claim that Batts, Sasser III and Alex’s 18-year-old aunt beat and dragged Alex back to their home on Buffalo Drive near Hebgen Lake after Alex tried running away in December."
"Police said in charging documents that Alex’s aunt messaged her boyfriend that Alex was like “a piece of (expletive) off of my (expletive) shoe” and that she wished Alex would “die in the woods.”

"Police said in charging documents that a neighbor of the family reported hearing screaming and seeing Alex run “as fast as he could” out of the house in December. The neighbor said the aunt and Batts caught Alex and held him until Sasser III was able to catch up.

The neighbor told detectives that Sasser III then dragged Alex back to the house “as fast as he could” and punched Alex in the face periodically. The person said the aunt and Batts watched Sasser III beat on Alex and did nothing to stop Sasser III."

 

[Trudie]

Gage has court today, correct?