Defendant Names Aggressors in Videotaped Beating

BARTOW | New interviews by prosecutors provide more insight into the infamous videotaped beating of a former Mulberry High School cheerleader.

Kayla Hassall, 15, who still faces criminal charges in the case that has spread like wildfire across the Internet, spoke in a June 11 interview with prosecutors about the videotaped beating.

Eight teenagers were accused of beating Victoria Lindsay, 17, and threatening to post video footage of the attack on MySpace and YouTube.

Hassall speaks in the interview about how a video camera might have helped fuel the teenagers’ fury and identifies who she says were the primary aggressors in the attack.

An audio recording of the interview was recently provided to The Ledger.

Hassall explained why the incident spun out of control and admits it should never have been taken as far as it went.

Hassall said her mother’s video camera was used to capture the beating. She denies filming the thrashing or hitting Lindsay.

She blames two girls, Brittini Hardcastle, 17, and April Cooper, 15, as being the ones who punched Lindsay, and Brittany Mayes, 17, as being responsible for filming the attack.

She insists Mercades Nichols, 17, told Lindsay to leave and wasn’t part of the attack.

Nichols has been characterized by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd as coordinating the attack and “luring” Lindsay to her home.

Hassall said she didn’t intervene to help break up the beating because she was afraid of Hardcastle.

Hassall and the four other girls continue to face charges of kidnapping and battery.

Earlier this month, charges were dropped on three teenagers accused in the beating -- Cara Murphy, 16, Stephen Schumaker, 18, and Zachary Ashley, 17 -- because there was insufficient evidence against them.

Hassal said the boys were not serving as lookouts and also didn’t implicate Murphy in the videotaping or beating.

Murphy, Schumaker and Ashley have also given recorded statements to prosecutors.