[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

The fact the individual was handicapped should have nothing to do with this story and punishments IMO.

The underlining issue is that 4 men brutally beat someone they though hit a 16 year old girl.

Were there actions extreme, Barbaric, Brutal? Absoulutly

However, this was not 4 individuals beating up a handicapped person for fun, or for him being handicapped.

If this girl had not lied none of this would have happened. As much as I would like to villianize the 4 men, if a 16 year old girl came and told me someone beat/rape/etc her, I'm not sure the extremes I may go to in order to punish said individual. Sure is vigilantism, and perhaps this story is perfect evidence of why there is a justice system, but human emotion can be pretty strong in cases of violence against a loved one

I think the fact that he's mentally handicapped is very relevant. It goes to the characther of the people that they would

a) beat up on someone who has a limited capacity to defend themselves
b) do so based upon believing that he did something that he may not necessarily have the capacity to know is wrong

I think we both agree that these guys are creeps and need to be dealt with harshly, but I really do see this as being very different than if the person they beat up was fully mentally developed.