'Dr. Phil' TV Show Bails Out Fla. Girl Jailed In 'Cheerleader' Beating
Nichols Accused Of Luring Victim To Her Home
Staff members for the "Dr. Phil" talk show helped Mercades Nichols -- one of eight teens facing charges in the case -- post bond this weekend, McGraw spokeswoman Theresa Corigliano said in an e-mail. Local 6 reported that Nichols is the teen accused of luring the victim to her home for the beating. "We have helped guests and potential guests in the past when they need financial assistance to come on the show -- assisting with clothing allowance, lost wages, accommodations, travel and necessities," Corigliano wrote. "In this case, certain staff members went beyond our guidelines (re the bail being paid). These staff members have been spoken to and our policies reiterated. In addition, we have decided not to go forward with the story as our guidelines have been compromised." Late Saturday night, Polk County Sheriff's Office spokesman Scott Wilder said only two of the eight teens remained jailed. The eight teens, whose ages range from 14 to 18, face kidnapping and misdemeanor battery charges. Three also face a felony charge of witness tampering. They are accused of participating in a violent beating of another teenager, which was videotaped and has now been viewed widely on national TV and the Internet. A judge set bails ranging from $30,000 to $37,000 for each during their first court appearances Friday. The state attorney's office says all will be tried as adults. McGraw drew criticism earlier this year when he confronted troubled pop star Britney Spears at the UCLA Medical Center during a stay at the facility. At one point, McGraw had planned an episode of the "Dr. Phil" show about Spears, but quickly abandoned the idea. He has since apologized for discussing his visit publicly -- but not for going to see her.
Families Receive Death Threats
Meanwhile, some families of the six girls and two boys accused in the videotaped beating have received death threats from across the country after their addresses and phone numbers were posted on the Internet, inside a YouTube video.The YouTube video called 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.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
- April 11, 2008: Contact Information Posted In 'Cheerleader' Beating, Families Seek Protection
- April 10, 2008: Hundreds Of Callers Harass Wrong Family In Videotaped Beating Case
- April 8, 2008: Report: Girls In Cheerleader Beating Joked In Holding Cell After Arrests
- April 8, 2008: Cheerleaders Pummel Girl For 30 Minutes In 'Animalistic' Ambush Attack, Police Say
- April 7, 2008: Girls Attack, Film Teen's Beating, Police Say
Copyright 2008 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.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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