'Bumfights' Video Producers Challenge Charges
Video Shows Street People Committing Acts Of Violence
POSTED: 5:23 p.m. PDT September 27, 2002
UPDATED: 5:36 p.m. PDT September 27, 2002
SAN DIEGO -- Four men mounted a legal
challenge Friday against the criminal charges they face for
allegedly paying homeless men to hurt themselves and beat each
other for a videotape sold over the Internet.
Slideshow: Bumfights
Daniel Jamon Tanner, 21, Zachary Bubeck, 24, and Ryan Edward
McPherson, 19, withdrew their innocent pleas Friday in San Diego
Superior Court in El Cajon. Michael J. Slyman, 21, declined to
enter a plea to the charges at an arraignment.
Attorneys for the makers of the "Bumfights: A Cause for
Concern" videotape contend there is no legal basis for the charge
of soliciting another to commit assault with deadly force.
On the tape, a homeless man is seen ripping out his front tooth
with pliers. Another rams his head into a steel door and others
stomp and pummel each other until bloody.
Defense attorneys say the complaint does not name a victim or
say when the alleged crime occurred.
"I'm real hard pressed to find out what my client had done,"
said Jan Ronis, an attorney for McPherson, who also is accused of
paying $25,000 to persuade two San Diego area homeless men who
appear in the video not to cooperate with authorities.
The men, Rufus Hannah and Donald Brennan, say they agreed to
hurt themselves and beat each other for $5 and $10 bills.
Authorities say they also received liquor, food and motel rooms
from the filmmakers.
Prosecutor Curtis Ross said the four defendants will still be
held accountable for their actions. He said he planned to file
additional charges.
"It is illegal to pay someone to commit a felony," he said.
"In this case, they paid homeless men to commit a crime of assault
with deadly force."
Judge Michael Harris will hear arguments on the matter Oct. 22.
Harris ordered the defendants to stay away from Hannah and Brennan.
At least 300,000 copies of the "Bumfights" videocassette were
sold at $20 each, said Lt. Raul Garcia of the La Mesa Police
Department, which led a three-month investigation.
Previous Stories:
Slideshow: Bumfights
Daniel Jamon Tanner, 21, Zachary Bubeck, 24, and Ryan Edward
McPherson, 19, withdrew their innocent pleas Friday in San Diego
Superior Court in El Cajon. Michael J. Slyman, 21, declined to
enter a plea to the charges at an arraignment.
Attorneys for the makers of the "Bumfights: A Cause for
Concern" videotape contend there is no legal basis for the charge
of soliciting another to commit assault with deadly force.
On the tape, a homeless man is seen ripping out his front tooth
with pliers. Another rams his head into a steel door and others
stomp and pummel each other until bloody.
Defense attorneys say the complaint does not name a victim or
say when the alleged crime occurred.
"I'm real hard pressed to find out what my client had done,"
said Jan Ronis, an attorney for McPherson, who also is accused of
paying $25,000 to persuade two San Diego area homeless men who
appear in the video not to cooperate with authorities.
The men, Rufus Hannah and Donald Brennan, say they agreed to
hurt themselves and beat each other for $5 and $10 bills.
Authorities say they also received liquor, food and motel rooms
from the filmmakers.
Prosecutor Curtis Ross said the four defendants will still be
held accountable for their actions. He said he planned to file
additional charges.
"It is illegal to pay someone to commit a felony," he said.
"In this case, they paid homeless men to commit a crime of assault
with deadly force."
Judge Michael Harris will hear arguments on the matter Oct. 22.
Harris ordered the defendants to stay away from Hannah and Brennan.
At least 300,000 copies of the "Bumfights" videocassette were
sold at $20 each, said Lt. Raul Garcia of the La Mesa Police
Department, which led a three-month investigation.
Previous Stories:
- September 26, 2002: Third Man Charged In 'Bumfights' Case
- September 25, 2002: More Arrests Expected In 'Bumfights' Case
Copyright 2002 by NBCSandiego.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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