Police: Teens Kill Ocala Man With Aluminum Bat
Posted: 2:56 pm EST December 2, 2007Updated: 7:05 am EST December 3, 2007
OCALA, Fla. -- Two teenagers have been arrested for allegedly killing a 44-year-old man with an aluminum baseball bat.
One teen said he was sticking up for his cousin, but prosecutors said the evidence shows they did it for entertainment or out of pure meanness. The body of Robert Towns Leigh was found slumped over a bench earlier in the week.
James Roberts, 18, said he hit Leigh to defend his cousin, William Anthony Myers, 16. Roberts said he and Myers were walking by a store when Leigh grabbed Myers' shoulder for no reason. Roberts said he told Leigh to let go, then hit him on the head with the bat when he refused.
"I just wanted him to get off my cousin," Roberts said, adding that Leigh was alive when they left him.
Myers, however, told a different story when questioned by police. He said they were startled by Leigh, who was on a bench near the store. According to Myers, Leigh told the teens to leave him alone, but they went home to grab a crowbar and bat and returned.
Myers said Roberts repeatedly hit Leigh with the bat. The teens then went back home again, he said, and Myers said he grabbed a pocket knife that he later used to stab Leigh. Police confirmed that Leigh's body had a superficial wound on the left hip.Ocala police Capt. Jim McGowan called the incident an unprovoked, vicious attack on another human being. A judge ordered Roberts to be held without bail on Saturday.
Copyright 2007 by WFTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.











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