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Contact Information Posted In 'Cheerleader' Beating, Families Seek Protection

Video Calls For Public To Take Action

POSTED: Friday, April 11, 2008
UPDATED: 10:53 am EDT April 11, 2008

Families of the six girls and two boys accused in the videotaped beating of a classmate have received death threats from across the country after their addresses and phone numbers were posted on the Internet, inside a YouTube video.


PHOTOS: Photos Of Girls
The new YouTube video calls out for the public to take action, saying, "let your voices be heard."

The video then posts the girl's names, their phone numbers, addresses and other information.

Local 6 reported that some of the families have spoken with deputies about the possibility of getting protection for their safety.

The six girls are accused of luring Victoria Lindsay to a home so they could videotape her beating over some apparent online "trash talk."

Stephen Schumaker and Zachary Ashley are accused of acting as lookouts during the attack.

Schumaker, the only one of the eight arrested to be released from jail, told Local 6 that his family is receiving death threats from all over the United States.

"I don't see why I'm even in this whole situation," Schumaker said in an interview for Local 6.

The videotaped beating was seen by more than 500,000 people as of Thursday night and prompted e-mails to Local6.com from all over the country.

It was the most-viewed video on YouTube at one point Thursday, Local 6 reported.

Wrong Information Posted Online

Meanwhile, an innocent family was targeted by angry callers after their information was mistakenly posted online.

The couple said they got around 300 angry, abusive calls from all over the country Wednesday.

Teens Charged As Adults

Also, the state attorney's office said the eight teens will be tried as adults.

The teens face kidnapping and misdemeanor battery charges. Three also face a felony charge of witness tampering. The youngest of them is 14.

All eight are scheduled for a first court appearance Friday in Bartow.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is not saying whether the teens are being held in protective custody at the jail.

A judge has issued a gag order requiring everyone involved in the case to keep their mouths shut.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

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