Teen accused in taped Fla. beating pleads guilty
Criminal Law
One of five teenagers accused in the videotaped beating of a Florida girl has accepted a plea deal.
Eighteen-year-old Mercades Nichols pleaded guilty Tuesday to battery and tampering with a witness. The State Attorney's Office said a kidnapping charge was dropped.
Nichols was among a group of teens arrested in 2008 and accused of attacking a 16-year-old classmate. The attack was recorded on video and broadcast around the world.
Nichols also agreed to plead guilty to charges of battery, assault and violation of an injunction in an unrelated case, in which she was accused of stalking a former boyfriend.
Under the plea agreement, Nichols could spend a maximum of three years on probation and won't spend time in jail. She is scheduled be sentenced in March.
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Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.
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Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.