Judge William Adams

[sister_in_faith]

I'm not gonna post the video, and I'm not suggesting anyone search it out to watch it, cuz it is beyond words how horrible it is.

This is the tag on the video...

"Reddit Video Apparently Shows Texas Family Judge Beating Disabled Daughter - 2004: Aransas County Court-At-Law Judge William Adams took a belt to his own teenage daughter as punishment for using the internet to acquire music and games that were unavailable for legal purchase at the time. She has had ataxic cerebral palsy from birth that led her to a passion for technology, which was strictly forbidden by her father's backwards views. The judge's wife was emotionally abused herself and was severely manipulated into assisting the beating and should not be blamed for any content in this video. The judge's wife has since left the marriage due to the abuse, which continues to this day, and has sincerely apologized and repented for her part and for allowing such a thing, long before this video was even revealed to exist. Judge William Adams is not fit to be anywhere near the law system if he can't even exercise fit judgement as a parent himself. Do not allow this man to ever be re-elected again. His "judgement" is a giant farce. Signed, Hillary Adams, his daughter."

I was surprised at how many of the comments on youtube seemed to support the judge and how he acted... I was curious what you guys think? Over the top, or justified?

Edited November 6, 2011 by sister_in_faith
added quotation marks

[pam]

I saw the video and I was just crying over the brutality forced on his daughter. Unfortunately now they can't press charges due to the statute of limitations. Nothing like that is ever justified. And to think he was a judge in family court.

[sister_in_faith]

He is STILL a judge!!! His term isn't up for 3 more years!

[pam]

One report I read said they have him on administrative leave right now pending. According to county officials they don't know how he could credibly return to the bench.

Edited November 6, 2011 by pam

[Vort]

Haven't watched the video and have no desire to do so.

Aransas County Court-At-Law Judge William Adams took a belt to his own teenage daughter as punishment for using the internet to acquire music and games that were unavailable for legal purchase at the time. She has had ataxic cerebral palsy from birth that led her to a passion for technology, which was strictly forbidden by her father's backwards views.

Which "backwards views" were those? That intellectual property rights should be respected and enforced?

The judge's wife was emotionally abused herself and was severely manipulated into assisting the beating and should not be blamed for any content in this video.

Assuming the video shows the father beating up his daughter while the mother does nothing to protect her: Why should she be exonerated from any responsibility? Because she was "abused", that therefore means she is not legally or morally required to protect her own daughter?

I was surprised at how many of the comments on youtube seemed to support the judge and how he acted... I was curious what you guys think? Over the top, or justified?

Even if the video is as awful and as damning as I imagine it to be (based on the description given), a single video rarely gives a proper and holistic view of a situation. Rushing to judgment based on a single YouTube video is generally an act of ignorance.

[pam]

Assuming the video shows the father beating up his daughter while the mother does nothing to protect her: Why should she be exonerated from any responsibility? Because she was "abused", that therefore means she is not legally or morally required to protect her own daughter?

Actually the video shows the wife assisting. That disgusted me as well.

[PrinceofLight2000]

I've seen it. It's not the most horrifying thing in the world but it's not a picnic, and there is some unsavory language.

This man should be disbarred and I don't know why it's impossible to file charges when there's evidence of abuse that everyone can see.

[PrinceofLight2000]

Haven't watched the video and have no desire to do so

Which "backwards views" were those? That intellectual property rights should be respected and enforced?

Assuming the video shows the father beating up his daughter while the mother does nothing to protect her: Why should she be exonerated from any responsibility? Because she was "abused", that therefore means she is not legally or morally required to protect her own daughter?

Even if the video is as awful and as damning as I imagine it to be (based on the description given), a single video rarely gives a proper and holistic view of a situation. Rushing to judgment based on a single YouTube video is generally an act of ignorance.

I'm assuming you're not engaging OP and are instead engaging the uploader comments she copied and pasted from as devil's advocate. Just thought I'd point that out in case it wasn't crystal clear.

[pam]

I've seen it. It's not the most horrifying thing in the world but it's not a picnic, and there is some unsavory language.

This man should be disbarred and I don't know why it's impossible to file charges when there's evidence of abuse that everyone can see.

It's because of the 5 year statute of limitations. Doesn't matter the proof.

[Vort]

I'm assuming you're not engaging OP and are instead engaging the uploader comments she copied and pasted from as devil's advocate. Just thought I'd point that out in case it wasn't crystal clear.

Yes, except for the last comment, which I assume was the OP's.

[RescueMom]

This video is clearly abuse beyond just discipline of a spanking. The verbal abuse is horrid, the physical by both parents is bad, and I am sorry just because the father talked the mother into it doesn't make the mother less guilty, IMHO. I know the mother has since apologized and has gotten therapy and repented, which is great. But the Judge (who presides over child abuse cases) hasn't so much as said he was sorry, in fact, just like in the video says the girl deserved the beating.

In my opinion, first spanking a teenager is mostly useless, sure a swat on the behind for small children works, but after a certain age, if the parent hasn't learned better discipline skills for an older child....they need parenting classes. Second, the beating was over pirated music, and yes I know the harm in that, but to beat a child for 8 minutes for pirated music seems a very harsh punishment, what is she had come home pregnant??? would he have killed her to teach her a lesson?

Had I been her parent, I would have simply told her she would not have internet access again, and made sure she had no access to the internet for a long time, even if I had to disconnect the net at the home. I would have started with some parental locks on all internet access, had a professional set it up so she wouldn't be able to hack into it and had a cop friend come over and explain that stealing on the internet is still stealing (I'd have the cop put the fear of G-d into her, play the bad cop).

[sister_in_faith]

Rushing to judgment based on a single YouTube video is generally an act of ignorance.

Seriously?

[sister_in_faith]

Yes, except for the last comment, which I assume was the OP's.

Which comment are you referring to? I added quotation marks to clarify what was posted on you tube, and what I said.

[Vort]

Seriously?

Yes.

Which comment are you referring to? I added quotation marks to clarify what was posted on you tube, and what I said.

The last comment, outside the quotation marks.

[pam]

And let's move on.

[applepansy]

This beating was clearly not the first time. The daughter had known it would happen again and set up the camera.

Spanking is an open palm to the rear end, not 70+ lashes with a belt. By age 15 or 16 (or younger), "spanking" is counter productive. There are much better ways to discipline a teen.

[annewandering]

men on ships in past times got the lash for misdeeds. usually 10. 50 was reserved for very serious events and anything over that pretty much a death sentence.

the man is nuts. as far as the wife goes you really have to understand the thinking of people who have been abused. often they are incapable of refusing no matter the demand. being under the control of someone like that man would have been very difficult for her to fight. if not impossible.