Feb 22, 2006 12:58 pm US/Eastern
Teens Plead Not Guilty In Homeless Beatings
Arraignment Hearing For Brian Hooks, Thomas Daugherty & William Ammons
The trio appeared in court together Wednesday for the first time since their arrests in January.
by Ted Scouten
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4 News) ―
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Surveillance Video Captures Beating Of Fort Lauderdale Homeless Man
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Suspect Thomas Daugherty In Court Wednesday
CBS4 News
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Suspect Brian Hooks In Court Wednesday
CBS4 News
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Suspect William "Billy" Ammons In Court Wednesday
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Victim Norris Gaynor
CBS4 News
The three teens charged in the beating death of a Fort Lauderdale homeless man pleaded not guilty to all charges against them this morning in a Broward courtroom.
The trio appeared in court together Wednesday for the first time since their arrests in January. The three teens, William ''Billy'' Ammons, of Fort Lauderdale and Tom Daugherty and Brian Hooks, both of Plantation, are charged with first-degree murder in the death of Norris Gaynor, 45.
The three also are charged with attempted murder in the beatings of two other homeless men, Jacques Pierre, 58, and Raymond Perez, 49.
In court today, Hooks and Ammons both wore chains and red jumpsuits with "Maximum custody inmate" in black letters
written on the back; Daugherty, still a minor, wore only handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit.
Pierre and Perez both suffered serious injuries in the attacks, which all happened in downtown Fort Lauderdale during the early-morning hours of Jan. 12. All three men were assaulted with baseball bats, a golf club and a paintball gun.
The case gained international attention after one of the nonfatal attacks was captured on a security video camera. That video also proved invaluable in helping authorities identify the attackers.
Hooks and Ammons, both 18, could face the death penalty, but Broward State Attorney Michael Satz has not yet decided whether to seek capital punishment in the case.
Daugherty, who is 17, will be tried as an adult, but a 2005 Supreme Court decision prohibits states from seeking capital punishment for crimes committed by minors. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison because he is under 18.
To secure convictions for first-degree murder, prosecutor Brian Cavanagh must prove to jurors that the teens attacked Gaynor with the intent to kill.
George Reres, a public defender appointed to Ammons' case, said Hooks and Daugherty were the main actors on the night of Jan. 12, and that no one wanted to murder Gaynor.
Police also are investigating whether the trio may have been involved in five other assaults. If they are linked, prosecutors could bring additional charges against the three suspects.
The judge set a March 31st status conference, which could determine when the case might go to trial. The next step will be the release of the state's evidence to defense lawyers in the next two to three weeks.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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