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Teens accused of beating a man to death will stand trial as adults

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beating death, hot spring county, thornton

Updated: 7/26/2012 5:44 pm

Published: 7/26/2012 3:56 pm

HOT SPRING COUNTY, AR - A Hot Spring County judge ruled that three teens accused of beating a man to death last summer - for no apparent reason - will stand trial as adults.

Now-18-year-old Richard Wybark, 17-year-old Clinton Ross, and 17-year-old Timothy Norwood are charged with second degree murder in Alaskan Kevin Thornton's death. Thornton visited Hot Spring County last August.

"It's horrible," said Kelli Shields, one of the friends Thornton came to visit in Hot Spring County. "You know, it was absolutely senseless. Kevin was absolutely an amazing person. He had the biggest heart." Shields thinks Wybark, Norwood, and Ross should be brought to justice.

"I want them to pay. I want them to be in prison," she said. "You know, Kevin's never going to be back, and they need to go to jail."

Clarica Ross, Clinton's mother, says her heart goes out to Thornton's family, and it's hurting for her son as well.

"That's my baby that's, you know, charged with murder," she said. Regardless of the charge, Ross says her son is no murderer.

When asked if she thinks her son is guilty, Ross said, "no, I mean my son, he has the baddest record, but my son didn't actually have any, you know he didn't physically hit the guy that died or anything so that makes me feel a little bit better."

The judge in this case has yet to rule whether the three suspects will stand trial together. That is what's scheduled for the moment, and the trial is expected to begin in late August.

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ArkansasYankee - 7/28/2012 10:08 PM

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blackandproud; Out by 2020? You sure know how to bring a person down! LOL The young black looks remorseful; I hope his mom was right. The two with the smug looks; here's hoping they stay in trouble in the joint, and keep being denied parole! Hope they enjoy their stay, and their new boyfriends. BTW; I am not racist scum; just trying to make light of the recent conference. Had a friend the other day call me; he had a flat between Jax and Sherwood on 67; jack broke, needed my help. Black Trooper stopped behind us, asked if everything was OK over his loudspeaker, gave him the thumbs up, and saluted him as he drove off.

sickofthissht - 7/28/2012 3:27 PM

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the way they looked coming out of court should earn them life absolutley no remorse! 501 you are right blacks always get hammered harder than whites but im sure they all had the same bond and the black kids parents probably chose to not give up everything they have on a bond. they are charged with second degree murder it only brings a maximum of 40 years in prison and they only have to serve 25% before they are eligible for parole. the black kid actually might get out first because he will have about a year of time served. all of these punks will be out before 2020. they are murderers and they deserve to starve to death. i really wish they would make starvation the new death penalty.

ArkansasYankee - 7/28/2012 7:13 AM

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me501; more than likely has to do with the bond; the white scumbags probably had parents with money and/or property; the black scumbag wasn't as lucky. okiedokie; I'm with you on the rotting in the pen part. And as young as they are, it shouldn't take them too long to find a meaningful "relationship" with a man.

okiedokie - 7/28/2012 2:43 AM

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I couldn't be happier that they are being tried as adults, I hope they rot in prison for the rest of their human lives and burn in hell for their eternity. No one should ever suffer what Kevin and his family went through, except those monsters that caused the suffering. I lost my best friend because of them. My community lost an amazing man and everyone lost a caring individual. I hope nothing but the worst for those boys for causing so much pain for everyone.

shootem - 7/27/2012 3:27 PM

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Wow me501 you must be black. Black people always make things racial. I bet if the black kid killed a member of your family you wouldn't have posted what you did. His ass should be in jail and so should the other two.

ArkansasYankee - 7/27/2012 3:15 PM

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I'm sure those smug looks will disappear in prison! Real quick. me501; their lack of concern has me thinking; maybe daddy is a judge or a DA; maybe they won't even do time. Kind of makes me think of Janie Ward and how her murder was covered up. In the end though; God will take care of them, and those responsible for killing Ms. Ward, and those that covered it up!

me501 - 7/27/2012 12:37 PM

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Its doesnt surprise me that the black one is still in jail.Crime happen in the white community all the time.They just cover it up.His mom said he did not touch the dead guy.I dont know if thats true or not,whatever the case is I bet he gets more yrs than the others.The two guys out on bail did'nt look concerned at all.

mlo02538 - 7/27/2012 12:11 PM

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These three boys took a life end of story, they need to pay for what they did. Life in prison is what they deserve and life in prison is what needs to be done. Ten,Twenty,Thirty years behind bars is not enough. Life for a life. They knew what they were doing, now they need to pay for what they did. The two boys who are out on bail, need to think about getting that smug looks off their faces, before it get taken off. They look like they don't have a care in the world, smarten up boys, because it would be different if you were on the receiving end of an attack.

wpsark - 7/27/2012 8:39 AM

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Would be nice if they tied the punks to a pole and let the family of the victim beat them all to a bloody pulp. Bet it would make the next "would be" killer think twice about beating someone to death.

Butch54 - 7/27/2012 6:55 AM

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It will be hard to dispose of these little rats. The people in charge of fixing our death penalty law to make it constitutional haven't got a set big enough to do it. As for parent saying their child is no killer. Would you want to think your child was one. I didn't think so.

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