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Montana woman sentenced to life in prison for torturing and killing her 12-year-old grandson
BOZEMAN: A Montana lady who pleaded responsible to torturing and killing her 12-year-old grandson greater than three years in the past has been sentenced to spend the remainder of her life in jail.
Patricia Batts, 51, pleaded responsible in Might to deliberate murder within the demise of James “Alex” Hurley on Feb. 3, 2020, in West Yellowstone in an settlement reached after prosecutors dropped efforts to hunt the demise penalty. She was sentenced Tuesday in District Courtroom in Bozeman.
“It is a horrific case of kid abuse. It was completely pointless, and it was finished with malevolence,” District Choose John C. Brown mentioned, based on NBC-Montana.
Batts additionally pleaded responsible to felony felony youngster endangerment for failing to get medical assist for Alex after he was fatally injured, and to witness tampering by making an attempt to get relations to supply false statements to investigators, the Division of Justice has mentioned. Batts acquired 10-year sentences for every of these expenses.
Alex had been residing with Batts and her husband, James Sasser Jr., 51, in West Yellowstone following the demise of his father, who was Batts’ son. An post-mortem discovered Alex died of blunt pressure trauma to the again of his head. He additionally had bruises and wounds throughout his physique, court docket data mentioned.
Gallatin County prosecutors alleged Alex was overwhelmed and denied meals. Investigators discovered movies of the boy being tortured and punished on cellphones seized from the relations.
Brown mentioned the video proof was essentially the most “horrific” he had ever seen throughout his time on the bench. By the point of his demise, Hurley was “emaciated,” “starved,” and had been subjected to “compelled train” in addition to routinely overwhelmed, the Bozeman Every day Chronicle reported.
Batts created the atmosphere that inspired Alex’s abuse, prosecutors mentioned.
Sasser was sentenced in March 2022 to 100 years in jail for his function in Alex’s demise. He pleaded responsible to deliberate murder, youngster endangerment and tampering with a witness. At sentencing, he acknowledged he failed to guard Alex. Two youngsters belonging to Sasser and Batts had been additionally charged within the case.
Their 14-year-old son was charged in youth court docket and acknowledged inflicting the accidents that probably led to Alex’s demise. Brown, performing as a Youth Courtroom decide, sentenced him to juvenile detention till he reaches age 18, adopted by seven years on probation. The couple’s daughter was sentenced to probation for her function.
Batts has been jailed since her arrest simply over every week after Alex died.
Patricia Batts, 51, pleaded responsible in Might to deliberate murder within the demise of James “Alex” Hurley on Feb. 3, 2020, in West Yellowstone in an settlement reached after prosecutors dropped efforts to hunt the demise penalty. She was sentenced Tuesday in District Courtroom in Bozeman.
“It is a horrific case of kid abuse. It was completely pointless, and it was finished with malevolence,” District Choose John C. Brown mentioned, based on NBC-Montana.
Batts additionally pleaded responsible to felony felony youngster endangerment for failing to get medical assist for Alex after he was fatally injured, and to witness tampering by making an attempt to get relations to supply false statements to investigators, the Division of Justice has mentioned. Batts acquired 10-year sentences for every of these expenses.
Alex had been residing with Batts and her husband, James Sasser Jr., 51, in West Yellowstone following the demise of his father, who was Batts’ son. An post-mortem discovered Alex died of blunt pressure trauma to the again of his head. He additionally had bruises and wounds throughout his physique, court docket data mentioned.
Gallatin County prosecutors alleged Alex was overwhelmed and denied meals. Investigators discovered movies of the boy being tortured and punished on cellphones seized from the relations.
Brown mentioned the video proof was essentially the most “horrific” he had ever seen throughout his time on the bench. By the point of his demise, Hurley was “emaciated,” “starved,” and had been subjected to “compelled train” in addition to routinely overwhelmed, the Bozeman Every day Chronicle reported.
Batts created the atmosphere that inspired Alex’s abuse, prosecutors mentioned.
Sasser was sentenced in March 2022 to 100 years in jail for his function in Alex’s demise. He pleaded responsible to deliberate murder, youngster endangerment and tampering with a witness. At sentencing, he acknowledged he failed to guard Alex. Two youngsters belonging to Sasser and Batts had been additionally charged within the case.
Their 14-year-old son was charged in youth court docket and acknowledged inflicting the accidents that probably led to Alex’s demise. Brown, performing as a Youth Courtroom decide, sentenced him to juvenile detention till he reaches age 18, adopted by seven years on probation. The couple’s daughter was sentenced to probation for her function.
Batts has been jailed since her arrest simply over every week after Alex died.
