1. Home
  2. Parenting & Family
  3. Special Needs Children
Terri Mauro
Terri's Special Children Blog

By Terri Mauro, About.com Guide to Special Children

T-ball coach sentenced in assault on autistic player

Friday October 13, 2006
If you've been following the story of Mark Downs Jr., the Pennsylvania T-ball coach recently convicted of offering to pay a young player to bean an autistic teammate, here's the conclusion of the tale, for now: The 29-year-old father of four has been sentenced to one to six years in prison -- starting immediately, despite the fact that he plans to appeal. Downs is also banned from coaching youth sports teams when he's released. Do you think this is an appropriate punishment for the crime? Pick an option from the poll at right, or click on "other" and explain yourself in the comments. Then take your last chance at rendering your own verdict in the "pick a punishment" poll.

Comments

No comments yet. Leave a Comment

Leave a Comment

Line and paragraph breaks are automatic. Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title="">, <b>, <i>, <strike>

Discuss
Explore Special Needs Children
About.com Special Features

Stay connected and entertained with reviews on tips on the latest HDTVs, cellphones and more. More >

Reclaim the morning and your sanity with these easy recipes, tips, and timesaving ideas. More >

  1. Home
  2. Parenting & Family
  3. Special Needs Children

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.