West Yellowstone man pleads not guilty in grandson's death
The Associated Press | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 2 months AGO
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A West Yellowstone man has pleaded not guilty to deliberate homicide and criminal child endangerment in the death of his 12-year-old grandson in early February.
James Sasser Jr., 47, entered his plea Monday in District Court in the death of Alex Hurley, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported.
Sasser has been jailed with his bail set at $500,000 since his arrest.
Investigators found several videos of family members beating and torturing Alex in the months before his death, court records said.
A co-defendant, Gage Roush, 18, pleaded not guilty last week to felony assault on a minor. Prosecutors allege he beat the boy with a paddle.
In court documents, Roush said he “regretted everything” and that he wished he could tell Alex “sorry.”
The boy's grandmother faces several charges, including deliberate homicide, in his death. She has not entered a plea.
Alex's 14-year-old uncle is also charged with deliberate homicide. He has not entered a plea and his attorney asked for more time before holding a hearing to determine if he should be tried as an adult. The Associated Press is not naming the boy because he is a minor.
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