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

[Dave F.]

Just for perspective......traveling distance between Conroe and Bozeman:

خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏

 

[Trudie]

Hi there @Dave F. Perhaps she’s transferring to the Sasser family home aka Gallatin county jail?

I don't see MS listed on the Texas jail roster this morning.

Jail Roster

 

[Trudie]

@Niner thanks for update on the gentle giant. So glad granny can’t get him out!

 

[Niner]

Hi there @Dave F. Perhaps she’s transferring to the Sasser family home aka Gallatin county jail?

Just looked - she's not there yet.

 

[Dave F.]

Just looked - she's not there yet.

If she's flying commercial, she won't arrive at the Bozeman airport until 9:55 pm. I hope she notified them about the late check-in time! JMO

 

[Dave F.]

This local news article states that MS was arraigned this afternoon in Gallatin County Justice Court in Bozeman and pled Not Guilty to negligent homicide. Bail was continued at $150,000, and she is incarcerated near the fam, in the Gallatin County Jail. Her name is not yet on the jail roster, but she might have used express check-in, and the data simply hasn't caught up. JMO
Bail set at $150K for woman accused in West Yellowstone boy's death

 

[mickey2942]

Interesting, MS is charged with "Negligent Homicide".

How are they going to prove that Batts, MS, and Sasser III all were involved in the death of JAH? Abuse, definitely. But it seems like too much reasonable doubt for murder conviction.

Maybe the goal is to get MS to flip on her brother or Mother. MS definitely deserves to be in jail. Shudder, MS, should never have children, she has no empathy, or ability to be a mother. She obviously never learned any parenting skills in her home.

Is MS a "victim"? She was in an environment where abuse of JAH was accepted and apparently even encouraged by Batts, the primary parent figure in the home.

 

[Dave F.]

Interesting, MS is charged with "Negligent Homicide".

How are they going to prove that Batts, MS, and Sasser III all were involved in the death of JAH? Abuse, definitely. But it seems like too much reasonable doubt for murder conviction.


Maybe the goal is to get MS to flip on her brother or Mother. MS definitely deserves to be in jail. Shudder, MS, should never have children, she has no empathy, or ability to be a mother. She obviously never learned any parenting skills in her home.

Is MS a "victim"? She was in an environment where abuse of JAH was accepted and apparently even encouraged by Batts, the primary parent figure in the home.

It’s pretty simple, really. Here is a brief rundown:

PB – Deliberate Homicide: Choking anyone, while threatening to kill, meets the threshold for the charge. (video)

JS Jr – Deliberate Homicide: Authorizing JS III to administer the final fatal beating meets the threshold for the charge. (text)

JS III – Deliberate Homicide: Has admitted on video delivering the blows to the back of the head which were the primary cause of death, which meets the threshold for the charge. (text plus forensics)

GR – Felony Assault of a Minor: Assaulted an eleven year old boy with a wooden weapon, which meets the threshold for the charge. (video)

MS – Negligent homicide: Being a willing and active participant in the torture, and recognizing that JS III was administering fatal blows and doing nothing about it meets the threshold for the charge. (text, her sworn statements, and witness testimony)

LE appears to me to have rock solid cases against them all. GR has already expressed that he is a victim of DV himself, so it would not be unusual for him to use that in the sentencing hearing. He may have records to back the claim. MS could certainly also make that claim in sentencing, but I wouldn’t bet on her success with it, myself.

IMO, IANAL

 

[Niner]

Thank you @Dave F. for the update. Still not in the jail site this morning. Any word on MS's next hearing? TIA if you know!

 

[Niner]

Here's an article on Madison's hearing. I'm just going to quote her text that I have never seen yet.

Bail set at $150K for woman accused in West Yellowstone boy's death

April 3, 2020
In the messages Madison Sasser wrote, “I’m so heartless to him dude honestly. I beat the (expletive) out of him just now.” She later said she had “beat the (expletive) outta him my (expletive) hands hurt.”


so.... she admits to her friend that she did hit him....
Poor Alex....

 

[Dave F.]

Thank you @Dave F. for the update. Still not in the jail site this morning. Any word on MS's next hearing? TIA if you know!

I'm not sure a hearing date was set yet. It would be futile if it was. The governor's current "shelter-in-place order", which is interpreted by the Supreme Court as banning hearings, but not arraignments; is effective until April 10th. The governor announced yesterday morning that he is planning on extending "shelter-in-place" until April 28th, but will not proclaim it until closer to the 10th.
The Supreme Court has also ruled that delayed hearings in felony matters must be charged against the State, for purposes of speedy trial. My guess is that it may be of some advantage to delay setting a first hearing. Either that, or the one reporter on the job missed it. Take your pick. JMO, IANAL
Montana Supreme Court halts some court proceedings during shelter-in-place order

 

[NuttMegg]

Sheriff disputes claim inmate tied to West Yellowstone murder has coronavirus symptoms

BOZEMAN, Mont. — The Gallatin County sheriff is disputing a claim that a woman tied to the murder of a West Yellowstone boy is showing symptoms of COVID-19.
----------------
Montoya argued for a lower bail of $5,000 so Sasser could return to Texas with a relative and finish high school online.

Montoya also said the teen is showing possible symptoms of the coronavirus.

"I am concerned about the virus," she said. "I'm concerned because she was in Texas. She's been incarcerated since March 19 in Texas. And a female jailer, this morning, did tell me that Madison spiked a fever this morning while she was in jail."

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin disputes that Madison may have COVID-19.

"Her health is fine," Gootkin said. "We've done screenings on every single inmate. So we're doing the same thing the health department tells us to do."

 

[mickey2942]

And even if MS does have COVID19, she can be quarantined in detention.

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

Sheriff disputes claim inmate tied to West Yellowstone murder has coronavirus symptoms

BOZEMAN, Mont. — The Gallatin County sheriff is disputing a claim that a woman tied to the murder of a West Yellowstone boy is showing symptoms of COVID-19.
----------------
Montoya argued for a lower bail of $5,000 so Sasser could return to Texas with a relative and finish high school online.

Montoya also said the teen is showing possible symptoms of the coronavirus.

"I am concerned about the virus," she said. "I'm concerned because she was in Texas. She's been incarcerated since March 19 in Texas. And a female jailer, this morning, did tell me that Madison spiked a fever this morning while she was in jail."

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin disputes that Madison may have COVID-19.

"Her health is fine," Gootkin said. "We've done screenings on every single inmate. So we're doing the same thing the health department tells us to do."

OH, WELL...if you can't do the time and all that. Here's not wishing her a speedy recovery...

 

[Dave F.]

And even if MS does have COVID19, she can be quarantined in detention.

Needs a lower bond so she can leave the state? I could have sworn she was just brought back on a fugitive warrant. Did I misunderstand??

 

[Trudie]

And even if MS does have COVID19, she can be quarantined in detention.

yes, because Alex didn’t get to finish school.
I’m sure the jail has a GED program.
Anyone know the status of the Sasser home? Is it just deteriorating? By now I guess the electric is off? How is it protected from vandalism?

 

[Trudie]

@Dave F. MT had to weigh the Covid risk before transferring MS. I wonder if they had to pick her up, in other words, did TX order them to get her?

(love the picture of her in her mask. Perfect they are mainly housed in single cells. I’m surprised the jail is allowing common areas to remain open.

 

[Dave F.]

This screenshot clearly shows how the Gallatin county detention facility has single cells, and also has impossible-to-close common areas. Maintaining social distancing guidelines can be accomplished by rearranging furniture and scheduling, though. I think MS is safer here, than she would be in Texas. If she wants isolation, though, it can probably be arranged. JMO
Gallatin County Detention Center six months later

 

[mickey2942]

The whole dysfunctional family is in prison.

So senseless. Sasser III could have easily told Batts that JAH needed to be gone. Called CPS. Told his kids not to hit JAH. He could have left, with his kids.

Could have, would have, should have.

There were so many interventions that could have happened to end this situation before this outcome. What is wrong with these folks?!

 

[Dave F.]

The whole dysfunctional family is in prison.

So senseless. Sasser III could have easily told Batts that JAH needed to be gone. Called CPS. Told his kids not to hit JAH. He could have left, with his kids.

Could have, would have, should have.

There were so many interventions that could have happened to end this situation before this outcome. What is wrong with these folks?!

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