TN - Timea Batts, 11, shot by father after getting off school bus, 8 August 2016

[AzPistonsGirl]

it's a shame that because we are so disgusted by this man that we may not give as much time and love to this thread... then again, what else is there to say... so amazingly sad and incomprehensible.

 

[MsMarple]

The District Attorney confirmed Friday Timothy Batts failed a drug test.

After the judge cut Batts’ $1 million bond in half to $500,000, he also instated multiple stipulations for when Batts bonded out. One of those was that Batts would be on supervised bond and would have to pass a drug test.

The judge had also said Batts could not pick up any new charges or he would be sent back to jail.

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/local-news/timothy-batts-fails-drug-test-on-probation

Apparently he's not yet back in jail - the judge will decide on it.

And here's what Batts had to say at Timea's funeral:

“I wish it was a nightmare and I can awake now but it’s all too real,” Batts said, reading a poem he wrote. “Since the day you were born I never pictured life without you. I hear you saying, ‘I’m at a better place’ but I’d give anything for another chance to see your smiling face. I love you forever until we meet again.”

Before the casket was closed, Batts said he wanted to tell God three things.

"Forgive me for all of my sins and let me start all over again,” Batts said. “When I can’t breathe no more, heaven please let me in. Every tear I shed, wash it with my soul cause I’ll see my baby Timea again where the streets are made of gold.”
...
Yolanda Horton said God called Timea home.

“She spent her life as an earthy angel,” Horton said. “We were positively impacted by her in so many ways. She’s now a heavenly angel. God makes no mistakes.”

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...a-batts-funeral-celebration-of-life/88807540/

There is so much cognitive dissonance in Batts' family and community it makes my head spin.

ETA: NewsChannel 5 ‏@NC5 5m5 minutes ago
UPDATE: Motion has been filed to revoke the bond of Tim Batts after he tested positive for cocaine

NewsChannel 5 ‏@NC5 13m13 minutes ago
#UPDATE: Tim Batts, man who killed 11-year-old daughter, violated probation, tests positive for cocaine.

 

[LietKynes]

-Dad says he awoke from a sound and got the gun out of his dresser and shot at his daughter when she yelled and it scared him.
-Got rid of gun in Nashville before he drove Timea to the hospital.

https://www.facebook.com/newschannel5/videos/10153760499637548/

SABBM

Whiskey.Tango.Foxtrot.

And how long did the gun disposal take ? All while his daughter was dying ?

Why did the noise his own child make (yelling/shouting) scare him ? Was he not in his 'right mind' ; as in possibly having taken some 'substance' ?
As in drinking too much, or whatever might cause some unease or jitters. Idk.

My kids when young occasionally gave voice to their happiness or frustrations... the second child could be (& sometimes still is ) exceptionally loud. Never frightened me in the least as I knew that sound very well.
Not trying to unjustly accuse, but this case really stinks; imo.
:gaah:

Rest with the angels, Timea -- you deserved to live your life !!


Edited to add : Oh, and that releasing of doves... Just seems odd.Some families have done that in the case of a car accident where a loved one perished, or cancer/illness. But it was something totally out of their control. Not aiming a gun and killing someone -- in this case his own child.
Might sound too harsh.
MOO

 

[MsMarple]

So... now there's a petition asking for Batts to get sent back to jail.

But the petition won’t likely sway the judge; there’s a law protecting Batts from going back to jail right away.

Tennessee Code 40-11-243 says there has to be a “time reasonable under the circumstances” for the defense and prosecution to prepare when allegation, like testing positive for drugs, is made.

http://wkrn.com/2016/08/22/petition...dad-accused-of-killing-daughter-back-in-jail/

The hearing is Friday. His attorney is arguing that Batts didn't break any laws - he wasn't on probation and apparently cocaine in your system isn't the same as possession. However, the judge set conditions when he reduced the bond amount and Batts failed to comply by staying drug-free. So I don't see why he should get another pass.

I wonder how the community will feel if the bond gets revoked. 50k would have gone a long way in helping children in need in their community. Batts ignoring the stipulation to remain drug-free is kind of a slap in the face of all those people who donated in order to get him out of jail.

 

[MsMarple]

What a messed up case. Batts' bond revocation hearing is postponed until September 14. Yet another petition has been started, it's pretty garbled - the best I can understand is that Batts should have had 30 days to clear drugs out of his system before being tested. Huh?

The community IMO has hit a point where they will defend Batts no matter what - it's no longer about Timea, and maybe it never was.

"He's been taking test since then, he's passed all the other tests, this one test probation says that he failed that and we're just going to have a portion of that sample reanalyzed and see what that shows,” Defense Attorney John Pellegrin said.

http://fox17.com/news/local/despite...-remains-free-on-bond-until-september-hearing

I'm starting to wonder if English is his attorney's second language.

 

[Indy Anna]

People are having to sign a petition just to get the judge to carry through with the conditions of Batts' bond? :gaah:Unbelievable! I'll sign a petition to move the trial to another jurisdiction because I don't believe Batts can get a fair trial in Sumner County! Considering all the wonderful things family, people from the community, and his lawyer are saying about him, I won't be surprised if Timothy Batts' name appears on the ballot in November. :banghead:

Nothing adds up in this case. I'll accept that this guy is paranoid, hence the security cameras all over the house and walking through the house with gun in hand. But, if you're that paranoid someone's out to get you, WHY WOULD YOU KEEP THE DOOR UNLOCKED?!! Did Timea have a key? Even so, wouldn't there be a computer/monitor somewhere in the house where he could view activity from the cameras?

There's simply no logical reason why this guy would accidentally shoot his precious daughter. Sadly, I'm wondering if there were "too many mouths to feed" and "eliminating" one of the children was his "solution," per his reasoning. Justice for Timea! :justice:

 

[katydid23]

There was a video posted to FB of the "celebration" after Batts was released. Amid all the cheers and laughs you can hear a woman say "The love is strong out here!" A bit later Batts shouts "God is good!" and women in the background chime in with "He sure is - all the time, all the time."

I think the video's been pulled but you can see excerpts here:

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/32753169/father-accused-of-killing-daughter-released-on-bond

I'm thoroughly disgusted watching these people dance around, clapping hands and acting like the bestest ever thing just happened. Batts is twirling some woman around and kissing her. The family's latest defense for his indefensible actions is that he was expecting Timea home at 4, not 2:45. So, family, tell us who Batts was talking to on the phone and why did he have a loaded gun in his hand? Who did he think it was when Timea walked in? Who was he expecting?

"Good father" my :behind:. His family, his pastor and his community insist he's "turned his life around" in the last two years yet become blind and deaf to the fact that he killed his child with a gun he was not supposed to possess. Because she walked into her own house. What is wrong with these people? What about Timea?

OH My LORD, Thank You for this well thought out post. Every time I try to express similar thoughts, I have to sit back and calm my angry nerves....GRRRRRRRR.......ugh :sigh:

This precious little sweetheart jumps off the school bus and runs into the 'safety' of her home, only to get shot by this cocaine addled father, at 3 in the afternoon. And he has wild supportive celebrations held for him? and at the funeral people say 'there are no mistakes>?" ugh....I have no words ...

 

[BrownRice]

I guess I'm confused. He tells police he was sleeping and thought there was an intruder. Ok, don't buy it, but fine. But then detectives say he is on video camera walking around the house with a gun in his hand....So we have a lie. His entire story is false. While I don't believe he shot her on purpose, he does need to be held accountable for this death.

What business does he own?

 

[MsMarple]

I guess I'm confused. He tells police he was sleeping and thought there was an intruder. Ok, don't buy it, but fine. But then detectives say he is on video camera walking around the house with a gun in his hand....So we have a lie. His entire story is false. While I don't believe he shot her on purpose, he does need to be held accountable for this death.

What business does he own?

Don't forget the original lie, that Timea came home and told him she had been shot at the bus stop.

According to msm Batts held three jobs; he was a janitor, he also had a lawn care business and had also gotten his barber's license and opened a barber shop. Nevertheless, he was able to take the day off to see his kids off to school and welcome them home after.

Notice how Batts' pastor defended story (lie) number two:

“Tim is broken,” said the pastor, who visited his friend at the Sumner County Jail Tuesday. “Tim loves his children so much. He’s a family man. ... Imagine, you’re a father, who’s done everything in your power to raise your children right, obey the law, do everything for your family and live by the word of God, and then this happens. ... This is a tragic, freak accident and no one is suffering more than Tim.”

On Monday, French said, Batts took off work to send his children off to school and welcome them home on their first day back, especially Timea who began sixth-grade at Knox Doss Middle.

Reacting to the past

Timea came home earlier than her father anticipated. Batts was asleep at the back of the house behind a closed door when the noise of someone entering the home startled him.

“He said he kept asking who was there. No one answered and it got real quiet,” French said. “ She was hiding. Tim thought it was an intruder. He was afraid and reacted based on his past.”

http://www.wbir.com/news/every-brea...-of-man-accused-of-killing-daughter/294102157

ETA: There's some question about Batts' "businesses:"

Although family members said Batts has never failed to appear in court, Harris said the defendant has two failure to appear charges.

Pellegrin and the family said Batts cut lawns and hair while attending barber school. Harris, however, testified Batts initially told police he is "not currently" working but later said he cuts lawns and has a barbershop in Nashville. This led Hunter to conclude Batts is "maybe employed."

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...harged-daughters-death-appear-court/88588834/

Um, okay...

 

[keeleydoll]

"Obey the law..." Except for having an illegal firearm and using cocaine? Are all these people nuts?! I had a relative go through a custody thing recently and the ex was positive for cocaine and iirc, they said that meant he had to have used within something like 3 days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[katydid23]

Sorry, but if he 'has a barbershop' then he is not asleep in his bedroom at 3 pm. I don't believe that he owns a barber shop. :no:

I have, sadly enough, seen what it's like when someone is strung out on coke/crack/speed. They get very paranoid, delusional, suspicious and are convinced that people are coming to get them. I think that is exactly what happened that tragic afternoon. He heard 'a noise'---and his whacked out brain reacted violently, towards his innocent little girl. He should not be 'celebrated' and held up as a heroic figure. :sigh:

 

[Indy Anna]

Sorry, but if he 'has a barbershop' then he is not asleep in his bedroom at 3 pm. I don't believe that he owns a barber shop. :no:

I have, sadly enough, seen what it's like when someone is strung out on coke/crack/speed. They get very paranoid, delusional, suspicious and are convinced that people are coming to get them. I think that is exactly what happened that tragic afternoon. He heard 'a noise'---and his whacked out brain reacted violently, towards his innocent little girl. He should not be 'celebrated' and held up as a heroic figure. :sigh:

Thank you for your insight, katydid! That certainly would explain Batts' odd and violent behavior.

Shame on the people supporting this drug addict. I wonder if most/many of his supporters are clients of his at his "barber shop" (I'm guessing a front for drug dealing).

 

[MsMarple]

Reminder, Batts' bond revocation hearing is Wednesday. This article was posted on August 25:

Batt (sic) told his attorney, John John Pellegrin [John John? Must be a typo], he doesn’t know why his drug test came back positive. The District Attorney confirmed Batts tested positive for benzoylecgonie, the compound tested for in order to discover cocaine use.
...
Pellegrin said Batts' has since taken several supervised and unsupervised drug tests, including one Monday. He added all have come back negative.

Pellegrin said, the tests “just to show he's not using any drugs or violating his conditions of bond.”

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/local-news/batts-hearing-pushed-to-september-14

I guess we'll see if Batts continued to pass the drug tests. I'm still really curious about that phone call but I doubt there will be any mention of it in this hearing.

 

[MsMarple]

Bond Revoked.

During the hearing, Hendersonville Police officials said they couldn’t locate Batts while Timea was dying at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The case would be heard by a grand jury in October.

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/local-news/timothy-batts-to-appear-in-court-for-hearing

More on the probable cause hearing:

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...harged-daughters-death-appear-court/89201664/

ETA: No sign of community members rallying outside in protest. I'd like to hear what they think of the latest information.

ETA2: Twitter account of today's hearing. https://twitter.com/NC5_AKoehn?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

 

[MsMarple]

The Grand Jury indicted Timothy Batts.

Timothy Batts, 29, was indicted on all of his four charges including reckless homicide, false reporting, tampering with evidence and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, show court records released on Oct. 6.

Batts is scheduled to be officially presented with his charges during his arraignment at the Sumner County Criminal Court on Oct. 21.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...batts-indicted-all-charges-thursday/91686728/

 

[Indy Anna]

Timothy Batts to remain in jail after judge upholds bond revocation

At a hearing on Monday, Batts’ attorney argued he should be allowed to bond out yet again.

Read more at ... http://www.wsmv.com/story/33527215/...n-in-jail-after-judge-upholds-bond-revocation


Judge upholds Timothy Batts' bond revocation

"It's a little aggravating when there's a blatant violation of a court order," Gay said Monday, adding that Batts' urine sample revealed he used cocaine between the time of his release and reporting to take the drug test.

Read more at ... http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...holds-timothy-batts-bond-revocation/93056670/

 

[katydid23]

Timothy Batts to remain in jail after judge upholds bond revocation



Read more at ... http://www.wsmv.com/story/33527215/...n-in-jail-after-judge-upholds-bond-revocation

Batts’ attorney called on a neighbor, colleague and fiance, who all testified that Batts is a responsible person who would show up for any future court appearances. The state argued that Batts violated his bond and that he poses a danger to society.

Batts’ family members did not feel the ruling was appropriate. Some shook their heads in court as the judge read his ruling.

Timea Batts, 11, died on her first day of middle school. According to police, she came home and her father shot her.

=================================================================================

Is the fiance the mother of Timea, the victim? Hard to believe....:no:

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Trial begins for Sumner father accused of fatally shooting daughter

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/sumner/hendersonville/2017/07/17/timothy-batts-begins-trial-daughters-shooting/486236001/

On the fateful first day of school, half asleep and skittish due to his own survival of gunshot wounds, Batts armed himself when he heard a noise in his home.

"He doesn't quite get to the (bedroom) door when his daughter Timea jumps out, (screams) 'Aaah!' Boom. She's shot," Batts' attorney Derrick Scretchen told the jury. Batts then rushed her to the hospital.

Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley highlighted the recklessness of the shooting, and Batts' changing story to authorities.

"Whatever Mr. Timothy Batts was occupied with at 2:44 in the afternoon, just before 3 o'clock, it wasn't his daughter, Timea Batts," Whitley said. "It wasn't his other children. He was obviously occupied with something else on his cell phone carrying his gun around."

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Timothy Batts testifies, recalls daughter Timea's last moments

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2017/07/19/live-updates-trial-timothy-batts-accused-shooting-and-killing-daughter-timea/491278001/

When Batts returned home, he said, he laid down in bed to nap after putting the gun in its original hiding place: under his dresser.

Less than 5 minutes later, Timea arrived home, and Batts said he didn't hear her come in, but the noises outside his door woke him up.

"So I jumped up," he said. "I saw a shadow come across the door."

That's when he grabbed the gun.

"As I'm creeping around, I said 'Who is there?'

"She jumped out from the side of the door and said 'rah!' to scare me."

That was the moment when the gun went off, Batts said.

 

[MsMarple]

Timothy Batts testifies, recalls daughter Timea's last moments

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2017/07/19/live-updates-trial-timothy-batts-accused-shooting-and-killing-daughter-timea/491278001/

What am I missing here? It seems like Batts told the same story on the stand today. But according to the CCTV, just before Timea walked into the house Batts was on the phone, walking around with the gun in his hand.

“I didn’t think she was home yet. It was two something, and I didn’t hear her coming in,” he told the court.

His account of what happened that fateful day has changed throughout the case, with Batts first saying he was asleep and Timea startled him when he fired his gun.

Surveillance video later showed Batts walking around his home on the phone while holding what appears to be a handgun just moments before the 11-year-old got home.

http://wkrn.com/2017/07/19/testimony-continues-wednesday-in-timothy-batts-trial/

Here's more:

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...hooting-and-killing-daughter-timea/491278001/

I don't believe (IMO) that Batts intended to shoot Timea but I do think, based on what's been released in msm regarding his actions just before he shot her that he was on high alert over something.

I haven't been able to view/read all the info that's online from the trial yet. What I don't know is who he was on the phone with that day and why was he holding the gun in his hand at that time.

Right now though, it all seems backwards to me. Batts talked about thinking Timea was an intruder which is why he got the gun yet the video showed him with the gun before Timea entered the house.

His testimony is posted on FB so I'll try and watch it tonight in order to understand things better.

https://www.facebook.com/wkrntv/