2004 Video Shows Texas Judge William Adams Beating Daughter; Judge Says, "Not as Bad as it Looks"

Note: This video is extremely disturbing.

The Houston Press writes up the video, which is from 2004 and features Aransas County (Texas) Judge William Adams beating his daughter, this way:

Someone who says she is the daughter of Judge William Adams posted the 2004 video only recently. The hard-to-take clip shows a man whipping her with a belt because she was [illegally] downloading music from the net.

"Bend over the fucking bed!!" he screams as he belts her while she tries to squirm away. At another point he threatens to hit her "in your fucking face."…

The YouTube page for the video is at a channel called shoehedgie that features a total of six videos.

The text that accompanies the beating video (which was uploaded on October 27, 2011) reads: 

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.

The website for KRISTV in Corpus Christi reports that Judge Adams has admitted to being the figure in the video but says "It's not as bad as it looks on tape." More here.

Comments

[Joe M]

Is it too late to press charges?

[Suki]

Ask the judge.

[pmp]

Aw, Suki.

[Ethan]

No it is not. The statute of limitations on aggravated assault in the state of Texas is 10 years. The stakes also go up if you are charged with causing serious injury or using a weapon while committing assault. Aggravated assault is a second-degree felony, and the penalty is 2 to 20 years in a Texas prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. Aggravated assault can become a first-degree felony, with a penalty of 5 years to life, in cases of domestic violence, or if the assault was committed against a public official, security guard, informant, or witness to a crime.

[John]

I bet there is another escalator for the crime being against a child. People are doing a decade or more right now for less shocking shit than this.

[joshua corning]

wait what?

John i thought you were for hitting kids and more kids needed to be hit.

You said so only last week.

Flip flopper.

[Joe M]

Busted.

[cynical]

No, I imagine John is favor of redistribution of discipline, from the kids that have far too much (like this girl), to the kids who have too little (like OWS).

Right now 1% of the kids have 40% of the welts. Is that fair?

[Ethan]

As if beating his daughter wasn't bad enough, but this guy has been a judge in family courts. Google his court rulings and you'll see the man has been accused of corruption in the past. A list from a concerned citizen in Texas of this Judges past rulings... I find number 8 to be ironic given the current circumstances:

1) Family law often concerns itself with the amorphous concept of "best interests of the child." Some have complained that this term is too undefined to provide reasonable guidance in judicial proceedings. Well, Judge William Adams has come to the rescue. We still do not know all the contours of the best interests of the child but we do know thanks to Judge William Adams the mental health of the primary child care provider is not relevant to "best interests." Thus, it doesn't matter with respect to the best interests of the child, if the child care provider is homicidal, psychotic, suicidal, and hallucinatory, among other things. In other words, a homicidal, hallucinatory, psychotic psychotic is just as good as someone who is not.

2) Naturally, from principle no. 1, it therefor follows that any discovery into the mental health history of a primary health care provider is irrelevant and should not be allowed.

3) Children should never be believed. This includes a child who everybody describes as bright and honest. If a child says he was abused, he should be ignored. If a parent doesn't ignore the child, the parent should be sanctioned (and her lawyer).

4) Similarly, if child says he has been abused, the alleged abuser should be asked whether he abused the child. If the alleged abuser denies the abuse, the issue should be dropped.

5) If the child says various people were present during the abuse, then those people have no relevance as witnesses. If the child's parents attempts to question them, she should be sanctioned (and her lawyer also).

6) If the child says he was abused at a restaurant, but people who abused the child deny having been at the restaurant at the relevant time, it is irrelevant that two waiters at the restaurant say they were there.

7) All children are fantasizers all the time; thus, anyone, who believes a child is frivolous and must be sanctioned.

8) If there is no videotape of something, it should not be presented in Court. No videotape, then it didn't happen.

9) Written communication don't count; only phone calls.

10) If a witness doesn't have a clue what the charts he presents mean or how they were created, then this means the charts are conclusive proof.

[Cody]

No, it is 10 years from the date of the child's 18th bday. So 12 years in this case.

[Warty]

"Beat the shit out of me, will you? I'll ruin your fucking career."

Excellent work, little lady. Fuck your dad.

[Suki]

Some people ask and pay for more than that.

[cynical]

He's a judge in Texas. The only way she could have given his career a bigger boost is if he hung her.

[a Texan]

Fuck you, cynical.

[bAnal]

"Hanged," not "hung," idiot.

[cynical]

I've heard it both ways.

[JustJosh42]

you've heard it wrong half the time

[Cody]

Haha. I can't stand Texas bashers. Have you ever been here before?

[Spencer]

Cynical.

You are no murder solving fake psychic. And, unlike what Lyle Lovette might have told you, Texas doesn't want you anyway.

[Santa Ana]

Steer? or Queer?

[joshua corning]

It is either a hot dry wasteland or a sweltering swamp....

Other then that I am sure the poeple and coffee shops are lovely...

But fuck all if I am ever going to visit let alone live there.

[cynical]

Jesus Christ, you Texans are more easily offended than feminists.

[Sy]

No shit. I've lived here most my life and they're the most thin-skinned assholes I've ever dealt with.

[Amakudari]

Only "hanged" is right. People are hanged and clothes are hung.

[cynical]

Sorry, only Spencer wins the cookie. But we have to take it away for the Lyle Lovette reference.

[TrickyVic]

The internet. Allowing assholes to embarrass themsevles world wide since the 1990s

[Jeff]

Nice guy.

[Judge William Adams]

Whatever happened to the right to privacy? I don't recall consenting to this.

[Aaron]

So if I believe someone is committing a crime against me I need to get permission to record it? I've no idea what the law is in Texas, frankly, but I have a feeling even if there were some technical problems with it, those who have the discretion would exercise it for the sake of just fairness.s

[Mad Scientist]

Tell that to Tiawanda Moore.

[Suki]

Or Tawana Brawley

[Tonio]

IANAL, but in my state (not TX) the consent of only one party involved in a conversation is required to make recording the conversation legal.

[Texas lawyer]

The law is the same in Texas.

[Spencer]

Yep, does no one watch the roger clemens stuff.

[A. Lemonjello]

YOU WOULD think your daughter would need your permission to record her abuse, you sick, angry coward of a man.

[chris]

Why are you people responding to William Adams|11.2.11 @ 1:36PM|#
as if it were the real shithead judge who posted it?

[the real slim shady]

Wait, you mean he doesn't hang out on H&R?

[I am sparticus]

everyone hangs out here.

[o2]

the vid makz shim look WINGNUTZ

Hez probably libertarian

[Captain of the Titanic]

Yes, we hit an iceberg, but it's not as bad as it looks.

[Brandon]

qft

[Brandon]

Whatever happened to justice in the justice system? I don't recall consenting to physical abuse being okay.

[TrickyVic]

"Whatever happened to justice in the justice system?"

You realize you're talking about Texas, right?

[sven]

Did the girl set up the camera?

[sven]

Nevermind, I read TFA. She did.

[ClubMedSux]

According to the Houston Chronicle, she did because wanted to catch what she described as frequent beatings.

[Juice]

Ah, makes me all nostalgic. First the beating then the months of being grounded.

[Juice]

Oh, but the word "fuck" would NEVER have been used. though.

[Barry D]

Step 1: Instead of ass say buns, like "kiss my buns" or "you're a buns hole"
Step 2: Instead of shit say poo, as in "bull poo", "poo head" and this "poo is cold"
Step 3: With bitch drop the t because bich is latin for generosity
Step 4: Dont say fuck any more because fuck is the worst word that you can say
So just use the word mmmkay!

[KPres]

Looking back, I probably could have used a beating or two like this. My parents were too nice and I owned them.

[Andrew S.]

Amazing what's happened in less than 24 hours since it hit Reddit. Hope this judge goes down hard.

[MWG]

TWSS.

[Cody]

Not blaming the wife? That is just as sick as the beating. Women aren't helpless and without resources.

[WTF]

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.

Because women are incapable of agency or responsibility and they are also absolutely equal to and even superior to men. MaleGaze patriarchy something something

[Ice Nine]

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.

What, you didn't see the part where he was holding that gun to her head? It was right before she swore at the girl and then whacked her herself.

[Bill]

I believe she was trying to protect the daughter the first time by saying just let me give you one clean "whack" and she took the belt from the father. My take was she hoped if the girl submitted properly for one hit, she could stop the Judge from hitting her multiple times.

Of course later they were both hitting her ... after the Judge came back in the room.

[bey]

And she also said "Thank you" very politely after her daughter submitted to the whacking. Good manners should get her some leniency.

[Cody]

The daughter is the one who said not to blame her. If I'm the DA I blame both. And I already found out that the DA is working on this and the statute of limitations is 10 years from her 18th birthday, so 12 years.

[Barry D]

Yeah. The daughter may have been satisfied with her apology, but there's no clause in the law that says, "Unless the criminal says s/he's really sorry."

[Jon Schaffer`s Right Hand]

It's not surprising the girl would blame her dad and not want to blame her mom, at least then she can identify with one of her progenitors somewhat. Coming to the realization that both of your parents are scum is not easy for anyone.

[WTF]

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

I don't suppose it's only being released seven years after the fact so mom can gain an upper hand in the divorce, because that would never happen. (not that it excuses the guy's behavior, either)

[Tonio]

Then why are you even raising the issue, then?

[WTF]

Because it is wrong to excuse the mother of responsibility for her part.

[Cody]

I hope the DA charges the mom too. She can defend herself by saying what she wants to say but she did it just the same as he did.

[Barry D]

Yes.

And since when did we quit using the word "coward" anyway?

[Tonio]

so mom can gain an upper hand in the divorce

Riiiight.

[WTF]

Yeah, you're right, women would never do something like that. I stand corrected.

[Tonio]

Look at the timing, asshole. She (the abused kid) waited till she was an adult and thus beyond his parental reach.

[WTF]

Ooo, you're so fucking smart for a shit head.

[Tonio]

Sure, whatever. At least I have some human compassion.

[Ethan]

The daughter is the one that posted the video and she is also the one that said the mom shouldn't be blamed. (Note that she has also said she doesn't want vengeance on her father either, just mental help)

However, it makes sense that someone who has lived in a household where this was happening would see the lesser of two evils as good and hold a connection to that parent. The mother is complicit and actually takes part in whipping her daughter in the video. She is just as guilty and I don't think this video helps her in any way. The point is these people need to be held accountable for their actions and Hillary (and I'm sure her younger sister) deserve justice for this.

Also, this hopefully gets the message out there that this is unacceptable parenting. It is mind boggling how many comments there have been on Reddit of individuals who are shocked that this isn't normal because it is the same way they were treated. Knowledge is power, get the word out.

[junior]

I don't know. If you watch the video you see the father beating the shit out of the girl, and then mom manages to get the belt away from him and give her one lick. I'm not saying that's good, but maybe it was her way of trying to diffuse the situation. I'm guessing that yelling at the guy to stop wasn't going to stop him, and opened her up to the risk of getting cracked in the face. What she did may have been the only way she knew how to try and end the whole thing.

But...who knows.

[junior]

Followed by dad entering the room again and saying "I never got my licks in!!" then proceeding to beat the shit out of her again. Guy's a sadist.

[sasob]

Well he definitely seems to enjoy it too much.

[wait]

How much are you supposed to enjoy it?

[sasob]

Ironical understatement is lost on you, isn't it?

[Ron Stringfield]

That comment turned my stomach. It's clear that he thinks the important thing is that HE gets a chance to act on his anger. It's not about whether she has been sufficiently punished but whether he has satisfied his own sadistic needs.

[Zeb]

"Women aren't helpless and without resources."

As a class, no. But some are.

Many people can be forced to do things under the threat of violence. He didn't hold a gun to her head, but he may well have had a similarly intimidating threat hanging over her head that is not articulated in the video.
She may well be guilty as well, but it is stupid to jump to conclusions based on on this video. People can be coerced into doing things even if a gun is not held to their head the whole time. Look at how the government works.

[.]

On the other hand some women will go along to get along. It isn't all that easy to snag as good a "provider" as a judge or some other government official.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

Yeah, but the "tell" here is that she says the mother was "emotionally abused".

The entire concept of "emotional abuse" is nonsensical Jezebelian bullshit.

I bet it boils down to, "He would say mean things when he didn't like what she did, and said nice things when he liked what she did."

[highnumber]

Wow. Your insight into the human condition is amazing. You must work with victims of domestic abuse.

[John]

Have you ever known anyone whose parents told them they were a piece of shit all their lives? It fucks with their head pretty badly. It is easy for you or I to say blow it off when someone says something horrible to you. We are fully formed adults. I can pretty much take whatever verbal abuse someone wants to dish out. But I sure as hell couldn't when I was 8. And certainly couldn't have when I was 8 and it was my parents who were dishing it out.

Sorry Fluffy, you are out to lunch on this one. There is such a thing as emotional abuse done by parents. And it screws people up a lot worse than physical abuse does.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

No, dude.

She is claiming that the mother isn't responsible for her actions because THE MOTHER was emotionally abused BY THE FATHER.

That means by definition we're talking about events that happened in their marriage as adults.

If the mother was physically abused, we'd have something to talk about. But the whole "My husband says mean things and that has crushed my self-esteem to the point where I am powerless to stop him from abusing our daughter" shtick falls on deaf fucking ears with me. As does "My husband threatens to leave me if I don't do what he says, so that means I have to help him beat my handicapped daughter like Rodney King."

[highnumber]

...shtick falls on deaf fucking ears with me

Due to your disability do you work primarily with deaf victims of abuse?

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

OK, fine.

Educate me.

Explain to me how one adult can "emotionally abuse" another.

I'm pretty sure you won't be able to give me an example that doesn't boil down to "saying mean things" or "threatening to leave".

[highnumber]

Ooo, look! "Psychological abuse between adult partners: Prevalence and impact on partners and children. Handbook of developmental family psychology and psychopathology."
O'Leary, K. Daniel; Jouriles, Ernest N.
http://smu.edu/familyresearchcenter/articles/o'leary.pdf

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

Well, let's look at the definition they use:

1. Rejection. ("threatening to leave")

2. Humiliation and degradation. ("saying mean things")

3. Threats and/or terrorization. (Now THIS would mean something, in the context of a physically abusive relationship. But the daughter pointedly does not accuse the father of physically abusing the mother. If he did physically abuse her, then threats of additional physical abuse would mean something. But that's not asserted here.)

4. Exploitation and use of male privilege to obtain services. (That sounds like "threatened to leave and find someone else if I didn't clean the house" to me.)

5. Isolation. (Sounds like "threatening to leave" if you don't cut off your family and friends to me.)

[highnumber]

That's where you stopped reading, isn't it?

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

Of course that's where I stopped reading.

The definition provided confirmed what I had already said.

All they could possibly do after that is elaborate on how the above behaviors give people low self-esteem, which makes them helpless pawns, or words to that effect. And I honestly don't want to hear it. Because that would then fall under "My husband says mean things and that has crushed my self-esteem to the point where I am powerless to stop him from abusing our daughter" which I've already told you I won't accept.

[highnumber]

You read to where it confirmed what you already believed and then stopped because anything beyond that might have conflicted with what you believe. Good for you.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

So what you're saying is that the gist of the rest of it isn't "oh noes my self-esteem is crushed now"?

That it's something else?

Like what?

Tell me in twenty words. Summarize. If it's not that, or something else I've already said, I promise I'll read the rest.

anything beyond that might have conflicted with what you believe

No, I'm saying that your hurt feelings and/or your fear of abandonment don't constitute abuse (when we're talking about adults), and that having provided that definition they've boxed themselves in to arguing that it does.

[highnumber]

RTFA. If you're going to talk like you know something, you take the time to learn something first. If you can't be bothered with that, shut up.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

So in other words, you refuse to attempt to supply any content here whatsoever.

Handing out links like homework assignments only works if you give me some compelling reason to read it.

Summarize for me what the abuse consists of above and beyond hurt feelings and fear of abandonment and I'll read it.

I've asked you a couple of times, and your refusal to do so only makes me that much more certain that reading this will just subject me to lots of additional verbiage and anecdotes to say the same damn thing.

If you hand me a copy of Moby Dick and I say, "OK, obsessed guy chases whale. Whale crushes boat. Obsessed Guy dies. The End," and you insist it's not about that, you better be able to at least summarize for me the alternative plot of your particular version of the story before you just blithely demand that I RTFA.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

You dick.

You guilted me into reading that whole article, and it fucking says exactly what I said it would say.

Except for the "impact on kids" part, which has nothing to do with what we're discussing, and which also took a whole lotta words to tell me, "Kids whose parents fight in front of them a lot are unhappy about that."

[highnumber]

You said that the article would say "Most of the women...described incidents involving psychological humiliation and verbal harassment as their worst battering experiences, whether or not they had been physically abused"?

[mrrds]

"you are a piece of shit and will never come to anything".

hear that every day from the age of 0 to 18, and you will marry someone who will confirm it for the rest of yr life. Its not a matter of being mean and crushing someone's self-esteem, its a matter of making decision based on an utter lack of self-esteem, an utter lack of a foundation to yr personality. You are who you are made to be, and if that is a victim, then, well, the field is open, your children will suffer.

[joshua corning]

Yeah fluffy is right...the mom is a peice of shit as well.

But less of a piece of shit...also if she was the only one who was a piece of shit the kid probably would not have been abused.

The dad is the source so he needs to be put down in the ground...if she forgives her mom i could care less and could care even less about her rationale for it.

[bey]

One thing the piece of shit judge said was right. His daughter "didn't deserve to live in that house". She deserved a normal one.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

The real reason the "emotional abuse" category was even invented is that the overwhelming majority of men don't beat their wives, but the wives needed a way to still claim to be "abuse victims".

[Amakudari]

Bottom line: the mother didn't remove her daughter from the reach of a man who frequently beat her, in fact she assisted in those beatings.

Guys who insult their wives and girlfriends are the scum of the earth. That doesn't give those wives any excuse to assist in child abuse. Period.

[Troy]

I can pretty much take whatever verbal abuse someone wants to dish out.

Shut up, douchebag.

[sailshonan]

I would consider this emotional abuse:
"I'm a fuckin' judge (maybe even in family court) and I golf with all the other judges and attorneys know they may have to appear before me. If you try to leave me I will make sure you will not get a penny in the divorce, will begin a vendatta against any lawyer you hire, and I will have you declared unfit as a mother so you won't even get visiting rights to our daughter. You will be penniless and childless." Now that's fuckin' abuse.

[Cody]

Sad defense.

People make choices, this mother beat her child.

[The Great Procrastinator]

I personally believe the mother swatted her daughter to try to stop the father. Did you miss the part at the beginning, before the light comes on the first time, when the mother says "I already gave her a spanking?" That could indicate that she was trying to stop her husband from beating the daughter, which her later actions also support. Note that Hillary willingly turns over for her mother and gets ONE swat, whereas Good Ole Willy is clearly letting his anger rule him, repeatedly hitting her about the arms and legs, Coming back after almost a minute with a second, stiffer belt. One might expect him to have calmed down somewhat by the time he got back, but if anything he seems even more livid than before, saying outright "I'm gonna BEAT you into submission!"
Clearly Mr Adams was the abusive party here, who one could easily argue had made several attempts to diffuse the situation.

[RIAA]

There is nothing wrong with that that Judge did. All judges should do this to people who download music without our expressed written permission.

[Clich? Bandit]

According to the Safeway thread this girl broke the law and therefore deserved to be detained and beaten by her LAW MAN father.

Did I get that right? Did she pay for the food from the fridge BEFORE consuming it?

[TrickyVic]

Epic fail on many levels.

[kinnath]

So when do the police come arrest the daughter for wire-tapping violations?

[Matrix]

don't give them any ideas...

[Auric Demonocles]

They're just waiting for a judge to sign the warrant.

[meat]

Never, Texas is a single party consent state making the video completely legal

[hmm]

Right after she buys a dog.

[kinnath]

That's the spirit

[Alexander]

Has anyone noticed that nowhere is any political affiliation of the judge mentioned?

The Wall Street Journal's James Taranto has postulated that when this occurs, it's a Democrat. Whereas if a Republican is caught in such matters, the party affiliation is usually noted in the first sentence or paragraph. The only problem with this hypothesis is that the Houston Press is not the more mainstream Houston Chronicle.....

[Wayne]

My money is on the big D.

[Ethan]

Okay, I am sick of this idiotic "liberal media distorts the message" crap so let me help you with that:

First, he ran as a Republican uncontested. http://goo.gl/OJuBf

Second, this does not in any way mean all Republicans beat their children nor should all Republicans have to answer for this man's crimes.

Third, This does not mean that no Democrat beats their children nor should they be ruled out as being a child abuser strictly on that qualification.

Fourth, Stop blindly following and defending political parties and look at the actual candidates themselves.

There have been good and bad in both parties. Good and bad in both sexes. Good and bad in all humanity.

Stop this crap.

[highnumber]

You spake that well.

[ELim]

Burnnnnnnnnnnnn, heh heh

[o2]

Jus anoter WINGNUTZ memw

[WTF]

The judge forgot to yell "STOP RESISTING!"

[someone]

This video makes me so fucking mad... The tone of his voice and behavior is exactly like my dads growing up. What fucking diots...

[Tonio]

Hey, remember that you'll get to pick your father's nursing home. Or not.

[non-native texan]

With any luck, it will be at a facility with tall fences in Huntsville.

[Old Bull Lee]

Reminded me of my dad too. Fuck this piece of shit.

[Old Soldier]

Now some guy in his twenties is dating this girl and wondering why she is batshit crazy. All my ex's must have been raised this way.

[John]

Anyone who uses a belt on a kid is a fucking lunatic. And apparently this asshole doesn't see a problem with abuse in general.

http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=134231

[WTF]

Maybe it's just my age, but when I was a kid the belt was pretty standard parenting procedure.

[John]

Not when you were a teenager and not if you were handicapped. Even by backwoods 1950s standards that is pretty bad.

[WTF]

Not when you were a teenager and not if you were handicapped.

True.

[Tonio]

Maybe it's just the fact that you're an idiot that you keep posting lame justifications for this here. Smarter move for you: STFU.

[WTF]

Well, if you're so fucking stupid you think that noting the mother should be held responsible for her part is justification, you should STFU or maybe work on your reading comprehension, moron.

[Barry D]

The mother is pretty stupid if she thinks this will help her. It's video of her actively and voluntarily participating in what is likely a felony.

[Tonio]

Thanks, Barry D.

[Heath]

I got whipped when I was a kid, but it was within reason, and I actually deserved it. This guy is absolutely disgusting. I don't see how anyone can treat another human like that, especially a young defenseless girl. That SOB should be locked up.

[Heath]

Better yet, give me a belt and give me permission to let loose on his ass. Another thing, isn't sitting on the bar supposed to be a sign of good moral character? Someone got fooled.

[Sudden]

^ This a thousand times over.

Getting a little physical punishment was part and parcel of growing up in my house, but it was generally within reason. I think spanking is lost on today's youth and to the detriment of the larger society. But a grown ass man giving a full wind up whip to the teenage girl is beyond the pale. Let the girl's mom do a little forceful spanking would be ok, but this just crosses a line.

I hate to give the shitty obscenity line on parental abuse vs. traditional wholesome parenting, but I know it when I see it.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Yeah. A man beating on his daughter is pretty ruthless. Also, spanking children after the age of nine seems pretty pointless. In my house, punishment was meted out by my Mom. She was quick with a slap to the face (to get my attention), and then alot of screaming, shaming, and guilt. Even then, by eighth grade, I was left alone to deal with the consequences to my actions.

[Amakudari]

Yeah, my mom used corporal punishment, but very sparingly, and definitely not once I was nearing ten or whatever. I'm fine with having that as a very last resort (for the parents, not the schools).

But we're talking about a full wind-up, multiple times, with a belt, on a handicapped, teenage girl. And he leaves the room and comes back in to do it again. There's that "fine line" or whatever between spanking and abuse, but this is far beyond that.

[John]

What I don't get is where the hell was the extended family? If this was my grand daughter and this guy my son or son inlaw, I would have put him in the hospital for this shit. He would have done it once and I would have made bail before he ate solid food again.

[gaijin]

What I don't get is where the hell was the extended family?

Where do you think the judge learned it?

[Mainer]

"I learned it from you, Dad ! "

[Fist of Etiquette]

He's a judge. Taking him on like that would have risks. Depending on the president judge, they can get a pretty big benefit of the doubt. Even with this video evidence, I say it's 50/50 he sees justice.

[John]

And no question after I beat him near death I would end up in prison for decades after his POS buddies on the bench and police department took care of me.

And I think he might actually see justice. This is such a piece of stupid that even the corrupt east texas system can't ignore it.

[some dude]

Aransas county is more south Texas than east Texas.

[John]

Good catch.

[dunphy]

for the record, this man is getting NO love on the cop blogs. mostly outrage, disgust and "i would have arrested him if i had that evidence" after it happened type tuff.

[Wayne]

What cop blogs do you read? It might be interesting to visit.

[John]

I have no doubt Dumphy. Cops hate child abusers as much as anyone. But I am sure he is part of the good old boy network where he lives. That is what would have gotten me in trouble.

[dunphy]

he very well may have been or not. i have no idea. i can tell you generally speaking, cops tend to like "pro prosecution" judges (big shock there), and tend to be as suspicious of family court judges as anybody, maybe more, because we see how ridiculous and nonrulebound it is, made all the worse by the war on domestic violence

[yeah]

And let's be honest, because LOTS of cops are divorced and thus have been before the family court in some capacity.

[dunphy]

lots of us realize the war on DV is full of bullshit because we are forced to constantly enforce many of its bullshit concepts, but yes... i am sure that is part of it.

fwiw, from volokh.com etc. there is at LEAST equal contempt of family court and family court judges from them (mostly attorneys and such) as there is from cops

the general consensus is that it is entirely biased towards women, often ridiculously arbitrary, etc.

cops and lawyers seem to agree on that

[yeah]

As a lawyer, I totally agree. I don't do family law, but I've been exposed to enough of it to realize it's a giant clusterfuck, even worse than the usual clusterfuck that the court system has become.

I guess on some level it makes sense that a whale turd like this ended up on the bench at family court.

[John]

In most states you don't even have to be a lawyer to be a family judge. They are often scum.

[yeah]

In most states you don't even have to be a lawyer to be a family judge. They are often scum.

Isn't that kind of a non sequitor?

[yeah]

*sequitur

Damned dead languages ...

[TrickyVic]

""lots of us realize the war on DV is full of bullshit""

Check out NYC new way of dealing with DV abusers.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/20.....t-abusers/

However.

""The people who are going to be required to wear this are people who are convicted of violating an order of protection already. They've already done something where a court has demanded them to stay away from their victim," Donovan said."

[Coeus]

lots of us realize the war on DV is full of bullshit because we are forced to constantly enforce many of its bullshit concepts,

Your concept of force appears to be the same as the OWSers'.

[dunphy]

troll-o-meter: .01

[Coeus]

Just trying to keep you honest. I don't know if you're aware, but the concept of force is kind of important to libertarian philosophy. The OWSers were rightly derided for using it dishonestly. Why should you get a pass?

[dunphy]

Again, if you are an MD you must participate in the WOD (at least if you have a DEA NUMBER to prescribe controlled substances). Should dr's turn in their medical licenses because they sometimes cause drug offenders to be imprisoned? Heck, a substantial number of drug cases we get ASSIGNED in patrol are script frauds called in by doctors or pharmacists. Spare me the crap.

[Coeus]

Should dr's turn in their medical licenses because they sometimes cause drug offenders to be imprisoned?...

Heck, a substantial number of drug cases we get ASSIGNED in patrol are script frauds called in by doctors or pharmacists.

The doctors or pharmacists are protecting themselves from fraud and violence from the state (pill mill laws). If they ask a patient if they use drugs, and then tip off the police, it's a different story. If the only thing the doctors were protecting were their careers (see, they don't get immunity) then yes, they should quit, since they're clearly violating their oath to do no harm.

[John]

Family court judges are the step child of the justice system. He may be in a lot of trouble.

[ClubMedSux]

And how would you have found out?

[John]

True. but I bet the girl told someone. I can't believe she held onto the film so long. I wonder what caused her to put it up now?

[Tonio]

WTF has lots of great ideas on this, John.

[WTF]

Tonio knows the mother is completely blameless, he is omniscient.

[Tonio]

Show me where I claimed that.

Right. You can't. And still haven't learned when to shut your yap.

[Tonio's mom]

By God I'll bet I can learn you when to shut yours! Where's my damn belt?!

[WTF]

Shut the fuck up, Corky.

[sasob]

A younger sister who was only four at the time and who now is entering her teens? Might that have something to do with it? Perhaps the older girl is trying to make sure this doesn't happen to her kid sister. Something's up anyway for her to have waited so long to reveal the video.

[Cody]

She probably waited so long because it took this long to be independent from the family.

[Paul]

The SWAT team should be dispatched to shoot his dogs.

[Mad Scientist]

I didn't see any dogs assaulting anyone in that video. If anything, SWAT should shoot the judge.

[Apatheist]

Well that went right over your head didn't it?

[Dogs]

Even we got it.

[Sam]

^^^ is why I come here

[Arthur J. Rodriguez]

The MOM was in the room...look how well that went. A good mother/father should stand in the way of such action. She aided him and condoned it. Just as bad, if not worse.

[Joe M]

Aransas County Court at Law Judge William Adams has spoken to our Andy Liscano about a video the judge's daughter posted on Youtube showing a beating in 2004.
Judge Adams told us, "It happened years ago.. I apologized."

Oh, I didn't realize apologizing excused the crime.

[Mainer]

So what he did was OK, but he apologized...sure, dude.

[Beloved Rev. Blue Moon]

That apology and the "not as bad as it looks" sounds like a confession to me.

The only problem would be proving he was hitting her as hard as it looks. That would be the defense - that he was pulling his shots at the last second.

[Alan]

The beating looks standard enough for a Bible-believing family. It just came about 20 years too late to be considered par for course.

The verbal abuse is more disturbing.

[Ice Nine]

Exactly. A few whacks from a belt for punishment isn't such a big deal. When however it is accompanied by the raging and swearing that this one was it no longer denotes measured punishment but rather irrational physical assault.

[Kristen]

Let's just say for a secnod that this was a normal spanking. She's a fucking teenager. And spanking or belting a teenager is just plainass creepy. The whole point of spanking is an immediate positive punishment for unwanted behavior since small children don't have the ability to work out long-term consequences.

Teenage brains, however, have the ability to see long-term consequences and at least a basic reasoning ability.

[Ice Nine]

Agree about teenagers. I was speaking generally and wasn't referring to this particular case.

[John]

Exactly Kristen. When a film of your "punishment" could be put up on a BDSM site and no one would know the difference, you probably ought to rethink your punishment. This is one case where "creepy" is an appropriate word.

[Mainer]

Unlike the judge's brain.

[sasob]

I agree. If you're still spanking your kid after the onset of puberty, you've failed somehow as a parent - plus you're wasting your time.

[John]

you have failed as a partent or you are just a sadistic pervert.

[sasob]

I was speaking of ordinary spankings. Shoot, we used to get "pops" with a paddle back in high school. They weren't "beatings" and I doubt that the assistant principal who administered them was either a sadist or a pervert; but if he thought such punishment had much effect on teenaged boys - other than to re-enforce their recalcitrance or resentment of authority, he was greatly mistaken.

[The Great Procrastinator]

please don't insult sadistic perverts by comparing them to this guy. If spanking gets you off that's fine; there are plenty of masochists out there for you to go play with, but you do not chase your 16-year-old daughter down with a belt, especially after her mother says she already gave her a swat. If that's the extent of your self-discipline then you need therapy, not power.

[Alan]

Agreed. Spanking is pretty much counterproductive after age 6 or so, and there are arguably better methods of discipline for the under-6 set.

But even granting the effectiveness of spanking in limited circumstances, this sort of verbal abuse is always very bad.

Lots of other problems with Judge Adams too, but when I made that comment everyone seemed to be focused on the physical aspect rather than the much more disturbing verbal abuse. I thought it merited comment.

[Beloved Rev. Blue Moon]

Was there another child in the video at the beginning, or did I just imagine that?

[sasob]

Yes, there was - a four year old, I think.

[MWG]

Yes. She has a younger sister.

[TomD]

Over at the news site linked in this post, the number of gleeful comments about prison rape is truly disturbing.

It's stunning, and sick, that so many people regard that as a fundamental part of the judicial process.

[sasob]

Probably the same sort of people who would beat their kids with a belt.

[Apatheist]

My granddad apparently used the belt on my dad and my uncles but all I got were threats of the belt backed by "horror stories". For all I know it was all some elaborate scheme they thought up for all the grandchildren. Either way there is a difference between spanking someone with a belt and beating them with one. He never would have belted me for downloading shit though, he's the one that tought me how to use napster (pretty sure he had every country song pre-1980 on his computer). He also taught me how to play Wolfenstein 3d when I was six.

If I were an abuser I would watch my back from now on. This shit is going viral fast and I have no doubt that abused kids are cooking up there own video trap.

[william]

I bet she wont do it again!

[Wow]

Classy AND original.

[sasob]

Yep, nice people we have working in our legal system. Even money says nothing serious happens to the judge - certainly won't do any time.

[well]

He'll probably be disbarred and lose his pension.

I guess it's better than nothing ...

[Mainer]

disbarred...maybe
lose his pension ?! what kind of monster are you ?

[well]

Yeah, I know. He may be forced to drive a domestic vehicle from here on in.

Lucky for him he'll be able to keep the house and the 50 acres it sits on in the event of a civil judgement against him. I mean we're not complete barbarians here in Texas!

[Apatheist]

homestead ftw!

[Bob_R]

So what is the purpose of posting this other than to reinforce the stereotype of Reason readers as suburban, whitebread, upper middle class types. (Good here!) This looks like pretty standard corporal punishment that goes on in a lot of households in America (rural white, black, Asian get mentioned most often). Trying to prosecute every instance of this would make the war on drugs look like a walk in the park.

[Wayne]

"Trying to prosecute every instance of this would make the war on drugs look like a walk in the park."

Yeah, good point, except for the fact that there is a real victim and a real criminal involved.

[Bob_R]

Yes there is a real victim and a real victimizer. But the victimizer is only a real criminal in the same sense that someone smoking a joint is a criminal - he (looks like) he has broken a law of the state. Reason is usually against the state making laws about how you can raise your kids. Not in this case? Rule of thumb?

[John]

Yeah Bob. Me coming over and beating the living shit out you is just like me smoking a joint in my home.

Which part of victimless crime do you not understand?

[Apatheist]

That only makes sense if you think children aren't people.

[But Texas Loves Children]

Texas Penal Code Sec. 9.61.

(a) The use of force, but not deadly force, against a child younger than 18 years is justified:(1) if the actor is the child's parent or stepparent or is acting in loco parentis to the child; and(2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force is necessary to discipline the child or to safeguard or promote his welfare.

[leeway]

It's going to be pretty tough to show that the judge reasonably believed the force was necessary.

[But Texas Loves Children]

I agree, but Texas prosecutors give parents' a lot of leeway when it comes to disciplining their children. I'm a detective in a child abuse unit here in Texas and I've had plenty of charges declined that were obviously abuse.

[John]

Oh Bob you are full of shit. This is not typical in rural America. Certainly not for someone that age. And certainly that brutally for any age.

That is just a bullshit stereotype.

[Bob_R]

Maybe my countrified friends like to tell me tall tales, but "daddy gettin out the belt" stories are pretty common. So as disgusting as the tape was, I'd still say the corporal punishment part (whipping clothed buttocks with a belt) is a pretty common practice. To me the most disgusting part is the verbal abuse...it is evil, terrible...but it's about the equivalent of a typical HR comment thread.

So if the whole point is that we all get together and call the guy scum I'm happy to do so. But if Reason has suddenly changed it's editorial policy about the size of the state and it's reach into the family I find that curious.

[Apatheist]

Beat your kid all you want, just don't call her names!

What a piece of shit you are.

[Alan]

Research has shown that calling people names frequently is more harmful than physical abuse - especially if the person calling names is a parent. (Of course, whether it is more harmful or not depends on the relative intensity of the verbal and physical abuse.)

While I certainly wouldn't condone this sort of spanking, the verbal abuse stands out as more harmful here.

[0x90]

"So as disgusting as the tape was, I'd still say the corporal punishment part (whipping clothed buttocks with a belt) is a pretty common practice."

You are either prevaricating, or did not watch the video.

[anonymous]

Won't somebody please think of the CHILDREN?

[ohplease]

Are you freaking kidding me!?! People are acting like he took a night stick to HIS child. She set her father up while never addressing if she at the time was the disobedient back talker she came off as. Read the papers people all these out of control wild children who do everything including murder because parents failed to check there kids & want to be friends over disciplining parents. Little girls giving oral sex in school, boys shooting people, throwing shopping carts off buildings almost killing a woman ect. My mom gave me far worse whippings & thank god she did or my sense of self entitlement & disregard for rules or human life would be out of control. Thank you mom for being a great parent & for those much earned whippings that made me a better person in the long run! Discipline your children so it does not end up being the cops who do it for you when its much to late.

[TomD]

Please stop writing as if you're texting your buddies. You're communicating for an audience here. Act like it.

[ohplease]

I am so sorry that my post offended the upper crust grammatical police. I was sharing a quick thought not writing a school paper your majesty! My point still stands & I guess since you personalized your reply to me in the form of an attack on the grammatical issues & not my point I guess you can't refute it.

[TomD]

I didn't bother to read your "point," because getting through your post was too much work.

If you want people to hear what YOU have to say, then YOU put in the work. Writing clearly isn't just some arbitrary standard. There's a reason for it.

[Apatheist]

As far as I can tell you didn't have any points or thoughts to refute. So people replyed to you with the mocking that you deserve for being the piece of garbage that you are.

[Apatheist]

KULTURE WAR!!!!! DERP!!!!!

[bAnal]

Punctuation is your friend, sweetheart.

[MWG]

You've won the biggest asshole of the thread award... which is pretty amazing considering this is H&R.

[Jeff]

It's a shame that your mom didn't beat some grammar into you.

[bAnal]

^^ This.

[Joe M]

Of course, battery against children is the only way to prevent them from becoming violent! Wisdom!

[ohplease]

Lmao battery...listen drama queen bottom line is when parents don't teach children to fear the repercussions of negative behavior the become self absorbed self entitled brats & assholes like the ows losers who think the world & anyone who has earned more then them owes them something.

[MWG]

"...bottom line is when parents don't teach children to fear the repercussions of negative behavior the become self absorbed self entitled brats & assholes..."

As opposed to 'non self absorbed' assholes like yourself?

[db]

You know what? Fuck you. My dad never beat me, never even berated me, only spanked me once in my life (and I deserved it), and I respected him greatly. Why did I respect him? Because he treated me like a human being, not an animal. He reasoned with me and because of his manner and my respect for him, I behaved well. He didn't need to beat me, just let me know he was disappointed when I did wrong, and why it was wrong. The only time I ever saw him get even close to violence in his life was once when he saw another man hitting his child in a car near us. My mom had to stop my dad from getting out of the car and getting himself into a fight ti protect someine else's kid.

That's humanity and that's good parenting. Beating kids so they'll stay in line and respect authority does not work in the long run; it only creates emotiinally maladjusted children who grow up to be maladjusted adults, or, worse, abusers of their own children.

[Alan]

Yes. And that is why I have a significant problem with Judge Adams (and most of the legal system in its dealings with children, too) - because he clearly does not treat his daughter with respect.

[Chupacabra]

God, you're a fucking retard.

If you think beating your kids is the only way to teach them respect and consideration of others, then please go kill yourself.

Beating kids teaches then one thing: to beat their own kids.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

You mom sounds like a white trash whore.

I bet you turned out the same way.

[ohplease]

You make me laugh, there is no doubt your the type of coward who would only say something like that online & never in person. You sound like 1 of those OWS clowns who pretend to be enlighted only to show how much of low brow punk you really are.

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

Who's enlightened?

Not me.

I make no claim to sophistication whatsoever.

I proudly embrace my identity as a low-brow punk who considers you a cunt.

[Apatheist]

The first thing I thought of when I read ohplease's writing was how enlightened it was.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

My kids are very well-disciplined, and don't do any of the things you mention - they are 13 and 17 years old.

And I never have had to whip them with a belt or even hit them at all.

If you feel you need to resort to physical and psychological abuse to "discipline" your child, then you're a shitty parent.

[The Ingenious Hidalgo]

Read the papers people all these out of control wild children who do everything including murder because parents failed to check there kids & want to be friends over disciplining parents.

Have you ever seen a headline reading: "99.99% of children still not murderers!"?

Little girls giving oral sex in school,

Because that's the worst thing ever.

boys shooting people,

Boys, men, women, cops etc.

throwing shopping carts off buildings almost killing a woman

I hear there's a lot of that happening.

My mom gave me far worse whippings & thank god she did or my sense of self entitlement & disregard for rules or human life would be out of control.

You do realise you just insulted yourself and your mum, right?

Thank you mom for being a great parent & for those much earned whippings that made me a better person in the long run! Discipline your children so it does not end up being the cops who do it for you when its much to late.

Now all we need is a citation that shows that people who were beaten as kids are less violent than people who weren't. Nice big study. Let's get some science up in this bitch.

[The Ingenious Hidalgo]

Ok, well, I fucked up the formatting. Bound to happen.

[Stephanie]

Where to start.... (would really love to take a bat to your face, first of all...)

...where to start...

He did more damage than one whack of a night stick could EVER do. He was out of control, he hit her multiple times, many many many times. 'This is the last one' 'Here, let me give you one and it's done'... WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING TO THEIR CHILD!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!

This 'father' was taking his anger out on his child. I wouldn't even say he was punishing her for downloading a game. He lost control of 'HIS' family, he was upset that someone could disobey HIS rules, so he took his anger out and abused his daughter. I'm glad she set that camera up, shows you what a scumbag this guy is.

[The Great Procrastinator]

huzzah! well said. this is why people need to be self-aware above all else when wielding power. The thought that this ape has ANY power over other people sickens me.

[Stephanie]

And no need to share that you were whipped stupid as a child... It was obvious after your first sentence or two.

Everyone,... EXHIBIT A - ohplease

[Mario]

Okay, I didn't exactly grow up with Mr. and Mrs. Brady as my mom and dad, but the guy in this video is completely unhinged. The beating he gave her goes way beyond mere corporal punishment.

"It's not as bad as it looks." I'll tell you what, how about how it sounds? You can't tell me that the "spare the rod..." people advocate using the F-word repeatedly on your own daughter. The guy is a complete animal.

It's a shame she didn't blow his head off with a shotgun. I would have liked to sit on that jury.

[Seamus]

We had never seen the belt. But we had heard about it. The belt was 9 feet long, 8 feet wide, and had hooks on it that would tear the meat off your body.

[Eric]

What's my takeaway from this, Nick?

I think this punishment is excessive...but I also think it's private. Mental abuse is hugely subjective as are the merits of corporal punishment. I would argue that if the abuse doesn't rise to the level of actual injury that this is not a crime, and not necessarily any of our business.

It's not that I approve, I don't, and I think I could make a good argument that it isn't a useful way to approach a 16 year old to solve a problem.

This is a very slippery slope though...I've had encounters with my children which I almost immediately felt I'd handled about as poorly as they could be handled...I'm disinclined to learn *your* unsolicited opinion of those encounters and add your disapproval to my own.

I THINK...I'm not sure but I THINK that this might be a bit too far over the privacy line unless we are talking about a criminal investigation.

[Eric]

A coda: Certainly the *daughter* is within her rights to disclose any information she wants to about her life. I think that *my* takeaway is that behaving in all endeavors as if you may wind up on the 6:00 news is probably a good policy in the Internet age.

[Eric]

Oh, and yeah sorry, mom doesn't get a pass.

[Apatheist]

So if I were to punch you in your face but you weren't injured it shouldn't be a crime?

[The Ingenious Hidalgo]

I guess it's private, right?

[Supreme Generalissimo Fluffy]

The daughter can assert abuse any time she wants.

So there's really no privacy issue here.

The daughter can walk out of her house at any time and say, "I was abused!"

So your real objection boils down to the fact that she has proof and has released the proof.

The judge can't just lie and say it didn't happen, because there's a tape.

So basically what you're saying is that you're uncomfortable with the fact that the judge can't get away with lying.

[The Great Procrastinator]

I'm with you on the issue of personal responsibility, but you're naive if you think this guy, a judge, wouldn't or couldn't make her life very, very difficult with near if not complete impunity. Plus there's the younger sister to think about. If she took off, what are the odds the mother would stop him from turning his impotent rage on the child?

[Alan]

I'll just note that in many countries, including most of Europe, this 16 year old girl could have left home and legally been independent.

I'll take that one step further, and say that a child of any age has the right to strike out on their own if they figure they will be treated better elsewhere. That cuts the courts out of the deal entirely, and gives abused children some control of their own lives.

Of course, it will be a long time before that is accepted, because teaching children independence is not something the government wants its citizens subjects to learn.

[The Great Procrastinator]

Considering how difficult it would be to support herself without quitting school, and how you're almost completely confined to minimum wage crap(assuming you could find a job at all) without at least an Associate's degree, leaving isn't really the viable option it once was. Plus, at sixteen, she'd be leaving knowing that her little sister would likely become his new target, assuming he wasn't already abusing her.

[SugarFree]

The SugarFree Law: No matter how repulsive the behavior, someone will always show up in a thread to defend it, dismiss it, explain it away, or question why it was posted.

It's a family court judge beating his handicapped daughter with a belt for downloading music. You people defending this are sick and I hope your kids get the fuck away from you as fast as humanly possible.

[hey you]

QFT

[Mainer]

or blanket it in a fog of minutia, known as dunphy's corollary.

[SugarFree]

Well, I mean we just see her getting beaten on the video, but what does video really mean? It will take a long investigation to decide if this was digital video or magnetic tape video and who can actually say how magnetism works? And a lot of people just hate their father's and would like to set them up? Do with even know that he is her biological father? What if she was adopted? And what does adopted really mean anyway? We have to let normal procedures play themselves out. And "beaten" is such a subjective term anyway...

[Mainer]

McMahon to your Carson

[dunphy]

these trolling attempts are weak. any rational viewer would view this as a criminally chargeable case (in my jurisdiction) based on the law

EXACTLY like i said in cases like the paul schene case (the jailcell beating of the girl case) that i said from the beginnign, no minutae required, that that officer should eb fired and criminally charged.

the trolls ignore evidence like this because it upsets their canard.

but it's "on the record"

[dunphy]

oh, and btw... he WAS fired and criminally charged. and tried twice.

jury didn't convict, but it wasn't for lack of trying on the prosecutor's office.

[dunphy's doppelg?nger]

Well, being a judge is a hard job, and we only see this little clip and not what led up to it, and judges put their lives on the line all the time, and you all just hate judges, and ...

[dunphy]

these trolling attempts are weak. any rational viewer would view this as a criminally chargeable case (in my jurisdiction) based on the law

EXACTLY like i said in cases like the paul schene case (the jailcell beating of the girl case) that i said from the beginnign, no minutae required, that that officer should eb fired and criminally charged.

the trolls ignore evidence like this because it upsets their canard.

but it's "on the record"

[dunphy]

there is no minutiae here. but yes, when you deal with the LAW, there is often minutae.

when the "minutae" is stuff you THINK important, then it's not minutae.

if i call for civil rights for cops, due process, etc. that's minutae.

calling for it for others (that you like) isn't etc.

regardless, i see nothing here to equivocate about. in my jurisdiction, this would clearly be an assault. whether it would be charged as a felony would likely be based on ability to prove a certain level of injuries received, ime with the pros. office.

but i find it telling that in a system that has "rule of law" you dismiss minutae when it is that same minutae that is what protects us ALL (at least in theory) from govt. abuse and gives us the right defend ourselves against both out of control govt. and other criminals.

if there are specific examples you can point to , feel free.

you can't attack the actual analysis, just wank about "minutia"

(and no, i didn't bother to look up the spelling. it's "minutia" after all so fuck it! ) 🙂

[Shorter dunphy]

I am completely lacking in self awareness.

[dunphy]

part of my charm

plus, it brings up turing test questions which are always popular here

[sasob]

What's the handycap?

[snark]

Having a dipshit for a father.

[sasob]

Oh, but you're quick!

[not so snark]

Truthfully, I read in one of the articles that she has some form of cerebral palsy. Not sure how that makes a difference one way or the other in this instance, but there you go.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

SF FTW.

[RIAA]

I don't think you understand the severity of the situation. Someone ripped us off for possibly hundreds of cents. The judge ought to be clapped in irons for failing to call in a SWAT team to deal with the criminal scum sitting under his roof. He may as well have stolen that music himself.

[Justin]

Some people do not deserve the blessing of children...and what they DO deserve isn't fit to print.

[infertile]

I love it how people that don't deserve to have children always wind up with litters of them, and people who would make great parents just can't seem to get a sperm into an egg.

[Old Bull Lee]

I grew up living under this kind of shit, and had a visceral reaction watching this video. It is every bit as bad as it looks, and I know it was worse for the girl.

Fuck this piece of shit, I hope he goes down hard.

[Mainer]

Same here. Did Jesus tell your folks to beat you ?

[Mainer]

Same here. Did Jesus tell your folks to beat you ?

[Old Bull Lee]

Probably to some extent, but mostly is was just plain evil. I take it that was the inspiration in your household?

[Mainer]

Nothing like having scripture screamed at you as you get the shit beat out of you.

[Joe M]

I have to say, this is a pretty awesome case of revenge served cold on the part of the daughter. I hope the judge loses his job and goes to hail for a long time.

[hail fire and brimstone]

Oh, he's gonna split hail wide open!

[Joe M]

Hahahahaha, I meant jail.

[sum yung gai]

Ever been to jail in rural Texas? The distinction between the two isn't very much.

[Cody]

Rockport isn't rural

[big city]

A population of under 8,000 people isn't exactly urban ...

[Cody]

The surrounding area isn't rural

[last word]

Alrighty then.

[afterword]

It's rural to a Houstonian or Corpus Christian

[post script]

That's why I'm saying it's rural.

[MWG]

Appearantly he's up for reelection on the 8th so hopefully Reason will follow up with the story.

[sasob]

Ah! So maybe that's why the daughter is just now bringing this video to light - there's a political angle involved. Wouldn't surprise me.

[MWG]

If by 'political angle' you mean keeping her crazy-ass father away from influence over family law in Aransas County then yes... this is political.

[Warty]

"Lay down or I'll spank you in your fucking face. Roll over!"

"You turn over like a 16-year-old, like a grown woman, and take it!"

"I never got my lick in on her!"

"I'll beat you into submission!"

"You don't deserve to fuckin' be in this house."

Looks like a pretty standard corporal punishment, sure. Some of you fucking people are too stupid to live.

[o2]

Looks like a pretty standard corporal punishment, sure.

of course it does 2 u, libtoidz love using force on ppl

[Warty]

Who's spoofing Orrin? Even he's not this stupid.

[The Ingenious Hidalgo]

Any slander will do, huh?

[John]

Bob above would fit that description. "This is standard in rural America". No, this is standard no where. And anyone who thinks otherwise is too dumb to live.

[Warty]

Bob is pure scum. Remember to throw that in his face if he ever attempts to post here again.

[Mainer]

take a beating like a grown woman....
THAT's pretty revealing. what a sick fuck

[The Great Procrastinator]

I love 2 and 4 the most, because they emphasize my stance. 2: I would give you the "you're 16; take your punishment like an adult" IF the punishment weren't grossly disproportionate to the crime. The guy's arms look bigger than mine, and he's clearly letting his anger drive him, making him unfit to decide her punishment, let alone dole it out.
4: You know, her room is remarkably well-kept for a 16-year-olds. The fact that he immediately zeroes in on her failure to submit to him, and is only further enraged by it, SHOULD immediately demonstrate why he is unfit to raise her sister, let alone wield the power of a judge.

[Troy]

Since you don't need standing to make a bar complaint, when is someone going to step up and get this assholes license revoked?

[dunphy]

does he even NEED to be a member of the bar to be a judge? fwiw, it is not required in all jurisdictions

[Troy]

Depends on what kind and what level of judge. In Arizona, a jsutice court judge doens't have to be a laywer. A superior court judge does.

[Coeus]

It's not required in Texas.

[Troy]

Aransas County officials say a video claiming to be County Court at Law Judge William Adams is causing major disruptions as people are flooding phone lines to complain.

Officials there say the Sherriff's office and local police have opened an investigation into claims by his daughter, Hillary Adams, who says she set up the camera in 2004 to catch what she called frequent beatings.

[um ...]

"We have top men working on it now."

[Cody]

The DA's office is flooded with complaints. I assume that applies to any bar but in a lot of places you don't need anything special to be elected judge.

[wut]

Nothing other than a good wind-up, apparently ...

[Marilyn]

The man's actions are not grounded in any morality that I understand. No thinking, feeling human being acts this way. Seeing this makes me love even more the examples of free women and men that I am fortunate to know, Nick.

[sasob]

What I'm wondering is what sort of backward luddite thinks it's a bad idea to have a compluter in the home. Wonder how they feel about televisions?

[minister george]

if that man is a so called christian ..as a minister i do not want him anywhere near my church,,.there is a time and a place for giving a child discipline, within reason and in a controlled calm way,,not a deranged demon like this man,,.may GOD have mercy upon his soul,,because no one else will

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

As a father of two teenage daughters, I can't even bring myself to watch the actual video. Reading what you all are saying about it is enough to make me sick. I cannot fathom what kind of sick fuck can reach the conclusion that this is how a father is supposed to treat his daughter. The last person on the planet a child should have to fear is his own father. A father is supposed to be a protector. This fucking piece of shit asshole fails so utterly and miserably, it's amazing. He need to be brought down hard and charged criminally.

And I hope the fucking trolls who are saying "this isn't so bad" or "this is normal" have not reproduced. Because anyone who thinks this is anything remotely resembling reasonable parenting is deranged and should not be trusted with anything sharper than a bagel.

[Alan]

There is a difference between "this isn't so bad" and "this is normal".

The first is an indictment of the speaker, the second is an indictment of normality.

[Arthur J. Rodriguez]

My Dad's father hit him mercilessly with a belt. My dad said he had welts on his back and legs. I saw a few scars on his lower back. When I was in my twenties - he told me about it in great detail - It blew me away when he cried and said why didn't his mom ever stop it.

His Dad died when I was six - never really knew him though I would have hit him real hard for what he did to a little child.

This abuse really hurt him though - he never really thought he was good enough, had mental and emotional problems. Despite his flaws, he was a good man - and one of the reasons why I became a family and criminal defense lawyer.

One thing, my Dad stopped it - he never laid a hand on me or my brother. When I became a Dad, he (then 64) said never hit your boys, it breaks them - your voice alone should do the job.

This "judge" is POS. He deserves all the rebuke that he gets.

[MWG]

Here's the most hated father in America

http://www.kristv.com/full-cov.....daughter/#!prettyPhoto/0/

The video takes a little bit to load. Be patient.

In his own words:

"In my mind I have not done anything wrong other than discipline my child when she was caught stealing. I did lose my temper, I've apologized.. it looks worse than it is."

[MWG]

Damn, Reason already linked to it...

*Hangs head in shame*

[Arthur J. Rodriguez]

The last person on the planet a child should have to fear is his own father. A father is supposed to be a protector.

Agreed 100% - A Father should stop this assault, not cause it.

My children know respect. They have manners and are generally well behaved. No matter what they would ever do, I couldn't do this to them. But then, I am their last line - the protector that will always love them. This guy is an abject failure.

[DaveyNC]

OK, I was well acquainted with the belt when I was growing up. This goes way too far. Couldn't watch it, couldn't stand to hear it. This is abuse, assault, you name it. Throw his ass under the jail.

[FarmerDave]

Times have changed but even by old standards this crosses the line. I got whipped with a belt as a kid for severe enough violation like lying or stealing but NOT as a teenager! And maybe a couple light licks not wailed on like some egg sucking dog! Poor kid, obviously not the first time I'm sure.

[whatever]

she got her ass whooped oh well thats what is wrong with these kids now

[Hans]

Gr?sse aus Deutschland!

I've seen this disturbing news in the German News, such as TV and newspaper!

This ARSCHLOCH and his wife are beating her own daughter for no reason, and may be a day later, he judges over peoples parking violation....

A Shame, that worthless people like this are judges...

he should be thrown in jail and GEF?NGNIS for a loooooong time...

[Hans]

Really, this "Judge" has lost all the respect...

he's a monster to his own child...

SCH?M DICH! ---->> Shame on you

I don't want to know, how many cases like this are uncovered and hidden, and how many more children are living in fear of their own father....

if people are getting violent against their own family, these people are the LETZTE DRECK (Scumbags) , they are weak pussy's who can only use violence against their own familiy...

I bet this Judge is a pussy in the real life...

EIN ARMES H?UFCHEN ELENT!

[Grrr.....]

One of the reasons why coporal punishment should be completely bad. It should never be a parent's right to assault and abuse their child like that. Anyone who agrees with this shit are fucked up in the head. Utterly disgusting... this judge and the mother should never have children to begin with....

[The Unforgiven]

That guy is an asshole... people like him should not be breeding in the first place....

[Johanna]

Becoming a mother just a couple of years ago, knowing how bad it hurts me to see her cry when she simply skins a knee, I cannot begin to understand how you can be so evil to your own child! I am sickened for this young woman and the future problems that she will probably deal with for the rest of her life. This man deserves to be made an example of, but unfortunately I don't have much faith in "our" system right now and somehow I'm sure he will be lightly smacked on the back of his hand. Sadly enough...

[Stephanie]

The Judge is an abusive jerkoff. Any normal mother would not allow something like that to happen to her child... I bet he was very manipulative, abusive, and controlling towards the entire family. Seems like he has serious mental issues, that are deeply rooted, because he's psychotic over downloading games? I'm sure this isn't the only time this has happened, the poor girl was probably so scared of the abuse, that she was looking for a way out. She wanted to capture this psycho in the act, and I bet she's been waiting and waiting to finally tell someone.

[Stephanie]

And p.s., speaking from experience, when you're to the point of wanting to record something, you're really wanting to get out. That's when you've had the last straw, and when you're ready to find a way out. But even after recording this, she didn't even show anyone until now. Makes me sad, because I guarantee it didn't end with this beating. She hoped things would get better, forgave him, and so the cycle goes on...

What a terrible father, you were the one she was supposed to believe in, but you mind fucked your own kid.

[Orsy]

good video, recommend

[GradyF]

I knew that sooner or later some wretched ideologue would pop up to say "how can one adult emotionally abuse another?"
This is the side of libertarianism that annoys me: The willed blindness to the commonplace horrors of human relations. It's one thing to say the state should not intervene in such cases, and quite another to pretend that we are all rational, strong paragons of Randian autonomy.
Go through all the names of people you know, and you'll be lucky if you find ONE person like that.

[Coeus]

You left out an important part. How can one adult emotionally abusing another absolve an adult of their agency? That's the question.
Nobody denies that the extremly large range of behaviors corralled under the term "emotional abuse" exist. What we deny is that it robs an adult of their agency.

Go through all the names of people you know, and you'll be lucky if you find ONE person like that.

You don't know one person who takes responsibility for their own actions? Are you posting on an Ipad from a city park somewhere, perhaps? Regardless, you should probably find some friends who don't aspire to be unthinking wards of the state.

[GradyF]

Nice one, slipping in the handy verb "aspire." To "aspire" is easy and pleasant. To be what you wish to seem, as the Greeks put it, is not so simple.
I know many people who aspire to autonomy. I know none who have reached that state except the two friends who have inherited great wealth.

[4FloLake]

Judge should resign by close of this business week.

[I, Kahn O'Clast]

Hmmm... Last time my dad beat me with a belt I was 12 or 13.... A couple of years later he threatened to do so again and I informed him (now that I was taller, stronger and was working towards a black belt) in a very calm voice that if he touched me again I would beat him to death. We got along much better after that though I suppose the fact that I stopped sleeping at home most nights might have helped.

[Edwin]

this is rich, whining about child abuse, from a father who beat his kid for STEALING, when you libertards have told me you can murder someone just for walking over your lawn, or you can grope women just because you employ them, or shoot someone for stealing no matter how small the item. Not to mention the general acceptance of prisons, which are WAY WAY worse than any of this. Stabby rape town is way worse than this shit. And you sociopath fucks want to immediately throw everyone in there for the slightest property crime if you don't kill him first.

Pot. Kettle. Black.

In this case actually the pot is WAY fucking blacker. Hell, the kettle is copper by comparison.

[Robert S]

I don't understand the outrage. Here of all places. Beating this girl is a part of this man's culture. Who are we to say? All cultures and groups are morally equivalent and, as I've learned here at Reason, if you disagree with that you are either a fucking slaver or a fucking nativist. What a bunch of racists xenophobes all of you are.

[Gloria]

You are a sick man Judge!
You belong in HELL!

[bey]

I do give Hillary credit for NOT rolling over and "taking it like a woman" (in the words of her doormat moron of a mother). He was trying to destroy her spirit, make her into a mindless animal like himself and her mother, and she had the guts to refuse.

[yvon d]

beat an animal the way he did with his girl it is criminal.shamed on you judge

[Pat]

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING! STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS - BS - HE SHOULD BE PUT IN JAIL AND HAVE SOMEONE BEAT THE HELL OUT OF HIM AS HE DID HIS DAUGHTER. AND WE WONDER WHAT'S WRONG WITH US? THOUGHT JUDGES WEE SUPPOSED T BE AWAY ABUSERS ... EVIDENTLY NOT. HE ISN'T MAN ENOUGH TO WIPE MY SHOES.

[Tom Skinner]

Typical of the mean spirited Christian south. Ban all religions especially Jesus Christianity and the bigots will go away. This man should be in prison. Some big black man should do something to his rear.,

[Nike Dunk Low]

thanks