Texas Judge Beating His 16 Year Old Daughter with a belt--Have You Heard This?

Unfortunately I watched the video this afternoon. And to be honest with you it made me sick to my stomach, literally. I don't think I have ever seen so much anger directed at a child. His language to her, even threatening to beat her in the face... so sad. AND the mom was just as much in on it as the father was. I hope he get's his...

well. He went overboard, no doubt. He lost it. He hit her in anger. Those are all great reasons why he is about to lose his job and may face charges. I'm going to submit that maybe he is not so much abusive, as an old school dad trying to keep his daughter out of handcuffs.

Let's slow down and look at bothh sides.
This is a family law judge in Texas. He sees the results everyday of kids that have been "spared the rod." Ever see O. of those juvenille delinquents that you wish someone would've cared enough to put over thier knee? And he is in Texas. Texas judges are notoriously strict, and believe in strict punishment. She was commiting a felony in his house with his isp. That could get him and her in serious trouble. He was just going to give her a few licks, but she refused to bend over the bed, so, he lost his temper due to her defyiance and disobedience. Not ok, but haven't we all lost it a time or two? Maybe we didn't hit, but we did or said something we wouldn't want videotaped and played on the evening news. Yes, his words were terrible too. But, I think what we are seeing is a dad pushed to his limit. She said the reason she released the tape now was because he dared her to. She was using it to blackmail him into getting her way. He had taken her car away as a punishment for something else. He was honestly trying anouther form of discipline. She said if he didnt give it back, she would release the tape. He stood his ground. I'm not saying he was right, I'm saying look at the big picture of a strict dad loving his daughter enough to discipline her inthe way he felt the situation called for.

That's just perfect, Denise. Imagine what her life was like BEFORE she was old enough to videotape it. Clearly not the FIRST time she was beaten.

Disgusting.

:(

horrifying, disturbing, insane, evil, wrong...there is not a word strong enough to describe what was done to that poor girl. I know that I will definetly hug my lil guys a little tighter and longer tonight after watching that. it makes me want to take all the abused kids into my home and make sure they are loved and taken care of. of course I cant, but i wish I could. I cannot even begin to comprehend the evilness of her "parents", how could they do that? I wish I hadnt watched it.

Saw it just a bit ago. Awful, truly awful...atleast in my non-violent home. The dirtball father released a statement that it didn't show the whole story and she was being punished for stealing (downloading music) and that he has apologized. I heard on the news that she was the O. that hid the camera.

I don't get some mom's thinking that it wasn't beating!! I saw it, 30 minutes ago. He was folding up the belt getting ready for the next beating.

You know most judges can be voted out of a job, right? Wonder when the next vote for him is going to happen... Wonder if he will keep his job...

I can't watch it. I saw the story on my local news and I will not be watching the video. I feel bad when I have to pop my 4 year old for running in the street! I can't imagine ever doing that. I know some people do, but it's not the way I'm raising my kids. So horribly sad and I hope he loses his job over it.

My dad beat me with a belt.....i wouldnt have wanted him arrested or charges pressed but i know i dont agree with spanking at all though.

I don't know if any of you read his response but I think its interesting to note that he referred to his daughter as "that child" and commented how "that child" had given him trouble. Distancing. He knows he is guilty. Some of you commented that its 7 years old and maybe she deserved it? Think about it this way, what would your child have to do to provoke you enough to do this? Can you not see yourself doing this? Maybe because you are a sane parent?

I watched the first couple of minutes and turned it off. I couldn't finish.

Update: The judge is admitting it's him, so my post is moot. I still find the daughter's reasons for releasing it to be shady - she got fed up with a series of "small disputes" with her father, she threatened him with the video before posting, she chose to wait seven years to "distance herself from the consequences." None of this sits right with me. Disfunction in every part of that family.... And none of her reasons are related to "healing" as your SWH would suggest. I do actually understand that the time to heal from something like that is decades - however, from her own mouth, she didn't do it as part of healing, and I'm not sure how publicly shaming her father would be a part of the healing process. Talking with him, confronting HIM with it, or even releasing it to the court system to evaluate his fittness for his position, but releasing it on the internet? Not healing - revenge.

Original: Not suggesting she's lying, but right now they can't identify any of the people on the video. It's this girl's word against her father's. It's entirely possible, though.

I find it odd that she videotaped it that long ago and just held onto it. If the beatings were that savage and she had proof at the time, why not turn him in then?

Edit: I have not actually watched the video. I choose not to expose myself to those types of images, so I don't know how clear the video was. The news reports I read about it mentioned that police cannot identify anyone on the video conclusively.

I saw the video on Dr. Drew last night. Although the video was disturbing to me, I know that there are two sides to every story. I'm not condoning or excusing the father and mother's behavior, but I got the impression that the daughter may have been playing it up for the camera as she was not listening to her parents demands. The parents did not know that they were being recorded either. Here's my perspective on this whole spanking thing: I don't agree that spanking should be used as a discipline technique for every kid or for every bad thing a child does. That is not right. If you have a child that you can talk to, ground, or take away privileges when they do something bad, then great--use those wonderful techniques for teaching them. However, some kids are manipulative, push your buttons, and are downright disrespectful--those kids MAY need a spanking to put them in line especially if no other form of discipline has proven to work in the past. Here's another thought: If this girl was getting spanked growing up, wouldn't she be fearful of her parents? If it were me, I would be! I would make sure that I didn't do something bad to warrant a spanking. I know she has cerebral palsy, but we don't know exactly how much she understands the difference between right and wrong. She knew enough to videotape this and use it against her folks later on. I think there is more to this then just videotape.

what bothers me is that they recorded it. why on earth would someone record it?

it is excessive.

why would she wait 7 years to "release" it. And really? what is it going to solve by releasing it?

I can't see the faces clearly on the video either. so really? I go back to who recorded it and why?

WOW.... reads like my house growing up...(I cant see the video at work)