Crime & Safety

Indefinite Probation: Is it Enough for Teens in School Bus Beating Case?

The grandmother of one of the teens charged in the attack said she thought incarceration for at least a few weeks should have been part of the punishment, according to CNN. What do you think?

Three 15-year-old boys who beat a 13-year-old so badly on a Pinellas County school bus that the younger teen suffered a broken arm have been sentenced for their actions.

After pleading guilty to the charges, the boys were told by Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Raymond Gross they now face “indefinite probation.” Conditions of that probation include community service, random urine screenings and electronic monitoring, according to Gulfport Patch.

The Tampa Tribune reports that Gross told the boys several times that they were fortunate to be tried in the juvenile justice system. Prosecutors considered charging the teens as adults, which would have had a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

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After watching a video of the attack, Gross called it “shocking,” “hideous,” and said “all of us should be horrified.”

Even so, the probation sentence was handed down.

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One of the boy’s grandmothers told CNN she thought her grandson should have been incarcerated for a few weeks at least and said while watching the video she wanted to jump in and protect the younger teen from her own grandson.

What do you think, Temple Terrace? Was this fair punishment for first-time offenders or should the teens have faced a stiffer sentence? Tell us by commenting below.


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