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

[mickey2942]

It seems like they all will have plenty of time, now, to figure out why they went so wrong.
JMO

This family will think that the only thing that they did "wrong" was to call the police.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Who took Alex to Montana? Did he perhaps ride along with his father when he moved there?

 

[Dave F.]

Who took Alex to Montana? Did he perhaps ride along with his father when he moved there?

The best that I can determine is that his father moved to Montana is 2008, but did not know Alex was his child until at least 2016. Alex joined him in Montana in about August of 2017. The father was hospitalized in November 2017 then died in January 2018. Alex was taken in his grandparents at that time. JS Jr and PB had custody for just eight months when he was pulled from school and the torture escalated rapidly. IMO

 

[Trudie]

It seems like they all will have plenty of time, now, to figure out why they went so wrong.

I’m sure PB is using her cold, calculating mind, hoping to justify her actions & lack of parenting. Lord she’s a dysfunctional mess at best.

This family will think that the only thing that they did "wrong" was to call the police.

I’m still stunned anyone called LE. With Alex being home schooled, held hostage in the horror house, how many years might of passed before anyone knew he was “gone”.
The way info reads, LE was summoned in the morning hours. Had PB had coffee and time to clear her head, I’m not 100% certain PB & uncle mighta taken a trip to the woods. Later, explaining Alex as a runaway.

I’m glad MT has custody of auntie M. I hope she has to do hard prison time. Obviously she has no remorse & an air of entitlement, per her request to return to TX & finish school, and tossing around a potential illness. SO? I bet Alex preferred to go to school, maybe live in TX & also was ill, requiring special treatment.
Madison needs to be in a state prison for a minimum of 5 years, imo. I’d prefer 25, but that is not realistic, even if sentenced, she’ll walk early. Moo

@Dave F. I think your dates are spot on (as always), Alex didn’t even get a chance to know his dad, let alone his family (idk what to refer to “them” as), before his dad was severely injured, ultimately dying.

 

[mickey2942]

Good thing Batts didn't sober up before calling 911. JAH would have been buried deep in the woods. Down there, no one would have found him.

The family was probably too lazy to drag out the body and bury it. They treated JAH worse than a dog, and thought that he was so meaningless that not even the police would care.

 

[Dave F.]

In a late report on the last hearing, it is coming out that the judge has asked PB's public defender to submit to the court a brief of his experience and qualifications for representing her in a death penalty case.
Judge cautious about potential capital punishment in boy's death

 

[Niner]

Since the Gallatin County court site doesn't update their site - I'm going to "guess" that this "might" be happening - since no one here has posted any different. We shall see...

Tuesday, April 21st:
*Status 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) & arraigned (3/9/20) with felony assault on a minor. Plead not guilty. $50K bond.
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. 3/9/20: Arraignment: Plead not guilty. Remains in detention & on $50K bond. Next Status hearing on 4/21.
3/31/20 Update: Was in court to ask for bond reduction. Bond reduction-denied.
*James Danny Sasser, Jr. (47) – Arraignment hearing on 3/6/20. No update as of 4/20.
*Patricia “Trish” Lynn Batts (48) – Omnibus hearing on 5/27/20.
*James Danny Sasser III (14) – Hearing on 7/7/20.
*Madison Sasser (18) – Hearing on 4/3/20. No update as of 4/20.
James was sent to Montana to live with his father (~August 2017) by his mother; father was hospitalized in Nov. 2017 died in January, 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]

Looks like Madison was in court on Friday.

West Yellowstone woman pleads not guilty in nephew's death

May 1, 2020

A woman pleaded not guilty Friday to charges connected to the death of her 12-year-old nephew at their home near West Yellowstone.

Madison Sasser, 18, is charged with aggravated kidnapping and negligent homicide, both felonies, in the death of Alex Hurley. She appeared with attorney Elisabeth Montoya in Gallatin County District before Judge Holly Brown.
[.....]
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.



and unfortunately no next court date.... but then I had to put the link into Outline - so I was wondering if someone can get into the "original" direct link - does it have any dates?
TIA if anyone finds one!

 

[Dave F.]

Looks like Madison was in court on Friday.

West Yellowstone woman pleads not guilty in nephew's death

May 1, 2020

A woman pleaded not guilty Friday to charges connected to the death of her 12-year-old nephew at their home near West Yellowstone.

Madison Sasser, 18, is charged with aggravated kidnapping and negligent homicide, both felonies, in the death of Alex Hurley. She appeared with attorney Elisabeth Montoya in Gallatin County District before Judge Holly Brown.
[.....]
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.



and unfortunately no next court date.... but then I had to put the link into Outline - so I was wondering if someone can get into the "original" direct link - does it have any dates?
TIA if anyone finds one!

There may not be a new date set yet. She was a juvenile when the crime was committed, but an adult when charged. The prosecution charged her as an adult, but in the charging documents requested a hearing to determine if she should be tried as a juvenile. This is not a streamlined process......it does require a heavy exchange of information prior to any formal hearing, and it could have an effect on her brother's case. Traditionally, many matters in Montana felony trials are not published until a bench decision is reached. This is usually one that is not. IMO, IANAL

 

[Dave F.]

The prosecutor has filed notice of intent to seek the death penalty for the grandmother, PB.......if she is convicted of deliberate homicide (the equivalent of first degree murder in other states).
Prosecutors to seek death penalty against West Yellowstone woman in grandson's death

 

[mickey2942]

The prosecutor has filed notice of intent to seek the death penalty for the grandmother, PB.......if she is convicted of deliberate homicide (the equivalent of first degree murder in other states).
Prosecutors to seek death penalty against West Yellowstone woman in grandson's death

Interesting. But there seems to be so much doubt about who actually killed JAH. I guess that she contributed to the environment of torture. And normalized the brutality towards JAH.

Poor kid. Starved, beaten at will. Tortured. And no one said a word. The whole family is a group of psychopaths.

 

[Dave F.]

Interesting. But there seems to be so much doubt about who actually killed JAH. I guess that she contributed to the environment of torture. And normalized the brutality towards JAH.

Poor kid. Starved, beaten at will. Tortured. And no one said a word. The whole family is a group of psychopaths.

She was his legal guardian / parent / protector when she both directed and participated in his death by torture. She admitted that she specifically authorized JSIII to administer the last fatal beating. Pretty much impossible to defend, IMO

 

[Dave F.]

Montana statute is neither vague or open to much guesswork:

Montana Code Annotated 45-5-102 Deliberate Homicide:
[Montana Title 45. Crimes § 45-5-102 | FindLaw"]Montana Title 45. Crimes § 45-5-102 | FindLaw[/URL]

Montana Code Annotated 45-5-302 Kidnapping:
[Montana Title 45. Crimes § 45-5-302 | FindLaw"]Montana Title 45. Crimes § 45-5-302 | FindLaw[/URL]

 

[Niner]

Is there a better court site for Gallatin County than this one:

Archonix XJail Public

It seems to never update the next court date for anyone. They still have their first court dates as "next court hearing" date.

What I have coming up is:
PB - Omnibus hearing on 5/27
JMS3 - hearing on 7/7
JS Jr - last was arraignment hearing was 3/6
GR - last was status hearing on 4/21
MS - last was arraignment hearing on 5/1

If anyone can find next court dates for the last 3 - it would be very much appreciated! And TIA if you find something!

 

[Lusitana]

What a mess. I can't believe so many people abused this boy and nobody had the heart to stop and think "what the hell am I doing? he's just a kid". Like, how is it even possible that not one person tried to save this boy? He had a mom, they didn't have to keep him, they didn't have to even see him, they could've just sent him back to his mother. That poor child did NOTHING to deserve this. This is disgusting. Don't let them out ever again.

 

[ajaylee]

What a mess. I can't believe so many people abused this boy and nobody had the heart to stop and think "what the hell am I doing? he's just a kid". Like, how is it even possible that not one person tried to save this boy? He had a mom, they didn't have to keep him, they didn't have to even see him, they could've just sent him back to his mother. That poor child did NOTHING to deserve this. This is disgusting. Don't let them out ever again.

They all kept him around because they couldn't figure out a way to get rid of him without losing the $700/month Social Security benefits Alex was supposed to be receiving.

 

[Lusitana]

They all kept him around because they couldn't figure out a way to get rid of him without losing the $700/month Social Security benefits Alex was supposed to be receiving.

So, they didn't really thought they would lose the money if the poor child was dead? They had to know they were killing him.

 

[Crimescenetape]

They all kept him around because they couldn't figure out a way to get rid of him without losing the $700/month Social Security benefits Alex was supposed to be receiving.

Which is all the more reason I am very surprised they called 911. They could have gone on collecting the father's death benefit for as long as no one caught on Hurley was gone. The family set up the boy's isolation. The ruse could have gone for years. They actually had the perfect murder and an extra $700/mo in their coffers.

 

[mickey2942]

Which is all the more reason I am very surprised they called 911. They could have gone on collecting the father's death benefit for as long as no one caught on Hurley was gone. The family set up the boy's isolation. The ruse could have gone for years. They actually had the perfect murder and an extra $700/mo in their coffers.

Or just report him as a "runaway". There is a lot of space up there.

Good thing Batts didn't sober up before she called the police.

 

[Lusitana]

Which is all the more reason I am very surprised they called 911. They could have gone on collecting the father's death benefit for as long as no one caught on Hurley was gone. The family set up the boy's isolation. The ruse could have gone for years. They actually had the perfect murder and an extra $700/mo in their coffers.

Yeah, I was also surprised that they called 911.