Two of the teens accused of the vicious videotaped beating of a woman they thought was pregnant smiled in relief as they were released on bail late Friday but under strict conditions that will keep them close to home.
After a day-long hearing at the 311 Jarvis youth court, the evidence protected by a publication ban, Justice of the Peace Paul Kowarsky agreed to let two of the 15-year-old friends await trial under house arrest. They cannot associate with each other and have to be with their Mississauga sureties — who have posted $8,000 for each girl — except to attend school, counselling or community service.
Due to her lawyer’s scheduling conflict, the disappointed third girl will have to wait until Dec. 7 for her bail hearing.
The trio — one each from Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto — are charged with assault causing bodily harm in connection with a drunk panhandler who was kicked and punched outside a downtown Burger King on Nov. 26.
The victim has told the Toronto Sun she’s an alcoholic and doesn’t remember much of the unprovoked assault that left her with bruises over her face and body. She seemed to be trying to evade attack by telling the teens she was pregnant.
But that didn’t seem to deter them. Instead, they punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground, and then proceeded to kick her in the stomach and back before spitting on her and taking off.
A three-minute video of the heartless attack was then proudly posted on an American hip hop site.
During the bail hearing, while adults in the courtroom seemed shocked by the evidence being presented, the girls — one baby faced with a side braid and the other looking older than her years and wearing a magenta Adidas jacket — seemed unfazed and sometimes even smiled.
Do they get it? Do they understand how cold and inhuman they seem?
Was it shame or disdain that saw them rarely glance at family and friends who had come to bail them out?
But at least one of the girls has expressed remorse, taking to Twitter soon after the attack to tell her friends how sorry she was and how alcohol was to blame.
God love these kids who have to share their every thought and movement. It certainly makes it easier for police.
Det.-Const. Faisal Karmali said outside court that social media were a “key tool” in tracking down the three suspects after a concerned American viewer alerted Toronto Police to the disturbing video after seeing it online.
The good news is that instead of applause, the posted video garnered universal disgust from their peers, with some even reporting them to CrimeStoppers.
“Seeing a video like this would outrage anyone,” Karmali said after testifying. “With other young people coming forward, it shows this is just not accepted by society.”
Unlike their friend, these two girls had turned themselves into police after the video made the news and the investigation was launched.
The Mississauga girl was released to her parents while the Toronto girl will live with family friends in Mississauga.
The latter beamed at her mom when the JP finally announced his decision. “The family’s happy she made bail and looking forward to seeing her again and to defending the charges,” lawyer Robbie Tsang said.
The three males recording the beating and cheering it on — one is heard saying “Hit that crack head” — are still being sought.
“We are asking the three gentlemen to come forward,” Karmali said. “We’d like to speak to them.”
Because they have a lot to answer for as well.
And in the meantime, unlike their three female friends, they can still head downtown this weekend, video recorder and hate for the vulnerable in hand.
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