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‘Hot Sauce Mom’ Trial Begins; Opening Arguments HeardJessica Beagley, 36, was charged with one count of misdemeanor child abuse after a video showing her punishing her son aired on Dr. Phil.Related Content
She made international headlines-an Anchorage mother who punished her adopted son by pouring hot sauce in his mouth and holding him under a cold shower. Jessica Beagley, 36, was charged with one count of misdemeanor child abuse after a video showing her punishing her son aired on Dr. Phil. Today, a jury heard opening arguments for her trial in district court.
Prosecutors said it was a cruel and unusual punishment with no real purpose while the defense argued it was the last-ditch effort of a desperate mother.
“It’s not pleasant to watch someone get punished, whether for right or wrong reasons,” said defense attorney William Ingaldson, describing the video to the six-person jury. “It's not pleasant. But this isn't about the unpleasant videotape."
This morning, the debate centered on whether to allow testimony from an Alaska Office of Children’s Services caseworker who originally investigated the abuse claims against Beagley.
The caseworker’s verdict? “No maltreatment.”
Municipal prosecutor Cynthia Franklin asked the testimony be barred, and said it would influence the jury in Beagley’s favor.
"It doesn't tell them anything about the case. It tells them what the defense wants them to hear, which is, ‘hey this other agency cleared us so therefore you shouldn't find her guilty of this offense,’” Franklin said.
District Judge David Wallace ultimately ruled to preclude parts of the caseworker’s testimony because the investigation of the Beagley family may be unreliable.
“There’s fifty other kids they were dealing with that day that had issues,” Wallace said. “I mean, I just don't know what standards they imply."
While it’s a misdemeanor charge tried in municipal court, the case continues to attract attention both here and abroad.
Beagley’s son and his twin brother were adopted from Russia when they were five years old.
Both are considered Russian citizens until they are 18, and several Russian media outlets are in Anchorage covering the proceedings.
As the trial continues, members of the defense said the jury could expect to hear from Beagley herself and possibly from her son.
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kristina said on Sunday, Aug 28 at 6:13 PM
SURE CASEY ANTHONY WALKS AND HOT SAUCE GETS PRISON TIME OURT SYSTEM IS SUCH A MESS
73051223Rita said on Friday, Aug 26 at 6:21 PM
My heart breaks for those poor little boys, orphaned and taken from their country, only to be put with two big angry parents who do bad things to them. What that woman did was indefensible. She ought to have taken a time out, or gotten professional help instead of terrorizing her poor, little, adopted children. I'd like to see the boys removed from that awful family, and that cruel, abusive mother!
72983746earnshaw said on Friday, Aug 19 at 4:14 PM
An eye for an eye.Do the same to her and her lawyers, with larger doses.
72626794Anonymous said on Friday, Aug 19 at 10:55 AM
The cold shower isn't so bad...but perhaps the hot sauce is a bit extreme. Still, no one says that spanking is child abuse and many parents do that. You need to discipline children.
72612764Carabell from Georgia said on Thursday, Aug 18 at 2:14 PM
Those poor children. To be taken away from their biological parents and then placed into an abusive home. However this is a common Occurrence in our country whether it is children from another country adopted out or American children being adopted or fostered out. It's just very sad and I know not all adopting parents or Foster parents are abusers, but the good ones are few and far between. Are psychological evaluations conducted on adopted parents??? I personally can't believe this is just a misdemeanor. These little guys need to be taken away from her. They need to be loved and nurtured and yes all children need to have discipline and structure. Adopted children can come with allot of baggage and emotional issues which requires sometimes more care, more attention and allot patience which this woman clearly has none. I'm sure these little guys have a fear for their adopted mother; it makes me wonder what else this woman does for punishment that was not put on video.Protect the child.
72567902Laurel said on Thursday, Aug 18 at 12:04 PM
Children sometimes require discipline. They sometimes require punishment. They never require torture.
72560469rose said on Thursday, Aug 18 at 7:33 AM
bad women,guilty women,stupi women, i hate the women which called her self a mom and she is not,i did cry whe i watch this video, i wish to her the same,poor kid,he is crying and she is screaming what a kinds of people you are!!!,animals take care of their children more than you.
72542742Andrew said on Wednesday, Aug 17 at 8:48 PM
Its obvious what you did was wrong. How could you possibly defend yourself? No, this isn't a felony child abuse. Its a misdemeanor. Plead Guilty lady. This lady has serious mental issues to treat a young child like this. Has she ever read any books about parenting children? Swallowing hot sauce and cold showers!!! As a pretty strict father, I'm disgusted she would use these type of psychotic punishments. She's clearly very angry at the kid, screaming in his face over and over is her first mistake, but that is understandable. But the bizarre punishments afterwards combined? This a very clear crime. All this teaches the kid is to respond with anger to stress and that its okay to treat others with cruelty if they don't listen to you. The kid may eventually learn to listen, but he'll grow up and treat others the same way. I say the prosecutor is doing the right thing. Protect the child. Sorry, I'm all for strict parenting. But this is just psychotic. No sane mother does this.
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