FATHER: No justice for son

I am the father of Clint McDonald, the young disabled man who was severely beaten by William Robertson Jr. Clint is autistic and non-verbal. Clint is not capable of defending himself and can’t tell anyone who hurt him.

I spent the entire night at the hospital with him when he had to have one testicle removed. He was scared and didn’t know where he was or why he was there. The doctor originally thought it was a tumor that burst and sent a sample to the lab. A week later Clint was back in the emergency room. He had been punched in the face so hard his lip was split. The split went to the back of the cheek and required stitches. Robertson said it was an accident that happened when he was taking Clint’s T-shirt off.

The results from the lab came back negative. No tumor. It was blunt force trauma. Robertson was fired and reported to the police department. There was no trial. Robertson pleaded guilty out of court. Judge Eckhart reduced the charge to misdemeanor assault. Robertson was given a choice of 10 days in jail or 40 hours of labor and a $300 fine.

It seems like criminals get more consideration and special treatment than their victims. I am very disappointed in our judicial system. It seems that common sense does not apply anymore.

BRUCE McDONALD

Post Falls