Texas State School 'Fight Club' Instigator Heads to Prison
Former employee sentenced for injuring mentally disabled residents.
Sept. 18, 2009— -- The families of mentally disabled residents of a Texas state school applauded the four year prison sentence given to one of the men involved in producing "fight club" videos at the Corpus Christi State school.
D'Angelo Riley, 23 pled guilty to three counts of causing injury to mentally disabled residents. After deliberating for about four hours yesterday, the jury sentenced Riley to prison and eight years of probation.
"That's excellent, I'm glad," exclaimed Michelle Crayton upon learning of the verdict. Crayton's brother George Brazil was a Corpus Christi State school resident seen in the videos being made to fight. "He should have gotten more time but I'm satisfied," Crayton said.
Riley and five other former employees were charged in the case. Along with Riley, two others have been sentenced for causing injury to disabled persons. Vincent Johnson, 22, received a two years suspended jail sentence while Jesse Salazar, 25, was sentenced to three years in jail.
The case against Timothy Dixon, 30, the suspected ring-leader of the group, has been delayed. In July, Judge Sandra Watts would not allow the video to be used against Dixon on the grounds the cell phone containing the video showing the fights was stolen property and that State prosecutors had not proven Dixon intentionally abandoned the phone. Prosecutors appealed the judge's decision to the Texas Court of Appeals and are still awaiting a decision.
Two other defendants – Guadalupe De Larosa, 22, and Stephanie Garza, 22, are awaiting trial. Garza was granted immunity by the district attorney in exchange for her testimony in the pending cases.
The former Corpus Christi state school employees allegedly made nearly 20 videos using cell phones over a one-year period beginning in 2207. As previously reported by ABC News, the disturbing videos were discovered by police in March of this year when the lost cell phone was turned over to their custody.
The videos show mentally disabled residents of the state school being prodded into fighting one another by the night shift staff, which is recorded for their apparent pleasure. Mental health advocates and lawyers have said the videos are also evidence of a broken system statewide that is suppose to care for the mentally disabled.
"Unless they fix the system there will be someone else who comes in and does this or worse," said Bob Hilliard, an attorney suing the state on behalf of families whose love once were victims of the abuse.
Days after the Corpus Christi "fight club" story broke, the State of Texas agreed to spend $112 million over the next 5 years to improve the state's 13 residential facilities for the mentally disabled. The commitment seeks to address complaints and concerns held by state leaders, families and advocacy groups over incidents that have taken place at the schools.The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) is responsible for overseeing Texas' 13 state schools and it's nearly 5000 residents.
In response to D'Angelo Riley's sentencing, Laura Albrecht, a spokesperson for DADS, said it has taken the appropriate action against the former employees. "It's a court issue now," insisted Albrecht.
Albrecht previously stated the agency and executives have been making unannounced visits at the Corpus Christi school and that cameras will be installed.
In response to the rising concerns at the state schools, the Texas Legislature passed a bill in late May that established an Office of Independent Ombudsman to audit the state school biannually and be a confidential liaison for parents, clients and guardians. In addition, the bill created a toll-free hotline to report abuse, neglect and misconduct; requires video camera surveillance in common areas of each state school; require DADS to perform drug tests, fingerprinting and background checks of state school employees.
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