We examine the reason behind the guilty plea of Florida’s special needs student Brendan Depa as his video goes viral on Reddit
Brendan Depa, an 18-year-old special needs student from Florida, who assaulted a teacher in a dispute over his Nintendo Switch, has entered a guilty plea for the charges brought against him. The aggravated battery charge, to which he confessed, carries the potential for a substantial prison sentence of up to 30 years.
Video of Florida student Brendan Depa beating teacher Joan Naydich for taking his Nintendo Switch goes viral on Reddit
JUST IN: Florida teen who beat a teacher unconscious for taking away his Nintendo has pleaded guilty to the felony charge against him.
Brendan Depa faces up to 30 years in prison for the brutal beating. His sentence will be determined in January.
The teacher Joan Naydich is… pic.twitter.com/cITJlW82dD
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 1, 2023
The system absolutely failed this young black autistic man. Where were all the pearl-clutchers when there was no funding to keep this man in a safer environment?!!! Major systems breakdown here. #brendandepa #autistic #blackautistic https://t.co/0iYkncHlG3 pic.twitter.com/hEZ24u2wxZ
— Alies_mom (@Alies_mom) November 2, 2023
What has the victim Joan Naydich said about the final judgement?
The incident took place on February 21, 2023, at Matanzas High School when Brendan Depa physically assaulted the teacher, resulting in two broken ribs and multiple bruises on her face and body. For solving the aforementioned incident, the security had to intervene as the altercation escalated, and CCTV footage captured the student’s aggressive actions.
The teacher, who suffered an assault from Brendan Depa, has opted not to advocate for a reduced prison term, with the final decision on the sentence’s duration expected to be disclosed in early 2024. Instead, the teacher aimed to use this case as a deterrent against others experiencing the trauma, physical harm, and disruption to their daily lives resulting from such incidents. Judge Terrence Perkins will decide Depa’s sentence during a hearing scheduled for January.
How netizens reacted to Brendan Depa’s guilty plea?
As news of Brendan Depa’s guilty plea started spreading widely on social media, public opinion became divided, focusing on his reported autism and special needs student status. While some questioned the lengthy prison term, others supported the teacher’s position and criticized the teenager. Many expressed concerns about his well-being in a jail environment.
Conversely, the parents are getting the blame and shouldering responsibility, with a minority expressing worries about the autistic teenager’s well-being inside the prison. On October 30, Brendan Depa appeared before Judge Perkins and accepted a no-contest plea, indicating his willingness to accept a conviction without admitting guilt. Meanwhile, the teen’s legal team has refrained from making any official statements about the situation and its outcomes.
Also Read: Who is model Camilla Deterre who called Israel Nazi Germany, bio, age, parents, boyfriend