Okeechobee, Fla. — A 19-year-old who was videotaped beating a helpless 16-year-old with autism last year has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. We reported on this vicious assault last August, Two people arrested after viciously beating a child with autism.
Andrew Wheeler was sentenced to 30 years in prison after Judge Sherwood Bauer Jr. found that he was a repeat offender, having been in and out of prison for various charges numerous times.
Judge Bauer pointed out that Wheeler has in fact been arrested twice while serving his sentences inside prison, and in one of those occasions, he was caught urinating on one of his inmates— who happened to be deep asleep at that time. Judge Bauer said:
“I think you made a decision at about 16 you were going to do what you damn well pleased. It was a poor decision.”
Wheeler tried to ask for a lighter sentence, saying that he was sorry and that he had no intention of beating the victim, Aaron Hill, as severely as he did. But he also insinuated that Hill was beating up his friend— who was a woman— which led him to his actions. He told:
“But I can’t apologize for standing up for what I believe in – a man was hitting a woman.”
But the video footage of the incident left Judge Bauer unconvinced, who found Wheeler guilty beyond reasonable doubt. And although the judge said that 30 years in prison is far too long, he was left no choice but to hand Wheeler the said sentence due to a state law that requires him to do so because of Wheeler’s previous offenses.
The footage of the incident went viral on the social media last year, sparking outrage from the autism community, and driving a number of people to launch the #JusticeForAaronHill campaign— which was joined by many, including Hollywood celebrities like Aaron Paul of ‘Breaking Bad’.
Source: wpbf.com: Judge sentences man convicted of beating autistic teen