Williamsville school assault stirs questions

[RaVen Blackehart]

I spent the first 5 years of my childhood a few blocks from this high school, and my cousins went to it. Williamsville is a small very violence-free type of place, usually.

Williamsville district didn’t inform police


http://i44.tinypic.com/2mgumig.jpg

It started as an exchange of words in the cafeteria of Williamsville South High School. It ended with one student being beaten so badly that he suffered multiple cheek, nose and bone fractures to his face, and a torn retina.

Michael Lang, a 17-year-old junior, underwent surgery early this month and had four plates put in his face during a surgery that lasted nearly four hours. His attacker, a classmate and friend, has been arrested and charged with felony assault.

But it’s Michael’s mother, Edla Collora, who called the police to report the incident and who now questions why the school district didn’t do more.

“They did not explain to us why they did not call the police,” Collora said. “That’s just the way they handle things. They keep things within their own walls.”

Williamsville School Superintendent Howard Smith responded that there was no attempt to hide the assault and that the district investigated immediately.

“At the time, the immediate time of the incident, there was no ability to be able to tell how severe the injuries were,” he said.

Both Lang and the accused classmate, 17-year-old Curtis Byers, were on the school’s wrestling team in the same weight class.

“We were real close,” Michael said. “We were wrestling partners all year.”

The incident, witnessed by several people, occurred at around 2 p. m. March 24 in the school cafeteria, according to Michael’s family and Amherst police. Francis Amendola, the lawyer representing Curtis, declined to comment.

Collora and her son said members of the wrestling team were gearing up for the upcoming team banquet and collecting money for the coach’s gift. When Curtis was asked for money, they said, he told them he wasn’t chipping in and would do something separately.

This apparently led to an escalation of words until a cafeteria monitor interceded. When Michael stood up and walked away, he toppled a chair that may have come into contact with Curtis, Collora said.

Curtis subsequently tackled Michael from behind and repeatedly punched him until bones crunched, according to police and family members.

“He jumped him, and he pummeled him,” said Detective Lt. Joseph LaCorte, supervisor of the Amherst Police Special Victims Unit, which handles school-related incidents.

Neither the police nor the school district released Curtis’ name, but The Buffalo News confirmed his identity through other sources.

LaCorte corroborated the extensive injuries, including fractures, swelling and bruising, suffered by Michael in the assault.

Collora said a school nurse told her that Michael got a black eye, had a cut on his face and was very upset.

Collora said she assumed her son had been in a fight because he had been in one earlier this school year. But when she discovered the nature and severity of the attack — including a pushed-in cheekbone — she grew increasingly upset.

She took pictures of the injuries and called the police that night. A detective interviewed her and her son the next day, she said. The following day, Curtis was arrested and charged with low-level felony assault. He was arraigned in Amherst Town Court and will return for further proceedings May 13.

Collora said she doesn’t understand why she — not school officials — had to alert the authorities, and why the attacker wasn’t arrested until two days after the assault.

“The police were not notified at all by the school,” she said. “This was not just a fight. That was what my assumption was [originally].”

Smith said the district didn’t call the police because the fight was broken up, the students were separated, and there was no safety threat to other students.

He also said school officials were still conducting their own investigation and didn’t know how serious the injuries were.

“This was handled absolutely properly, and at the time of the incident, the administrators didn’t know a crime had been committed,” Smith said.

LaCorte said he found no fault with the district’s handling of the matter. If district officials are aware of an assault, they let the police know, he said.

“They’re breaking up fights all the time,” he said. “They’re not going to call us for every little pushing or shoving match against kids.”

Collora said she finds that difficult to accept since witnesses corroborated Michael’s story about the nature of the assault to school officials. Curtis himself acknowledged to school officials that he launched the attack, Collora contends. continued

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/644121.html

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Interesting topic... lots to think about. At what point do the cops get called? If all the kid had happen was a black eye, should they have been called? I could go all over the board on this one. Both sides could be "right" in this case. Finding where the middle ground is trickier.
...school officials were still conducting their own investigation and didn’t know how serious the injuries were.Would the school have called the cops the next morning when the extent of the injuries became clear and the witnesses talked to? The mom wanted answers ASAP (as she should). Even complains it took too long for the police to arrest.

I understand her anger but can't figure out if anyone should have acted different. I want to think that the school would have called in the authorities the next day once the injuries were clear and witnesses were talked to (even if there had not been the injuries). Because the mom acted that evening, we may never know.

[RaVen Blackehart]

I think the school was trying to cover it up to save themselves a big expensive lawsuit and negative publicity. Which is now probably going to happen anyway.

[DarkPrincess]

When I was a junior our HS had a DARE officer in the school. Said officer tried to break up a fight one day, thought one of the boys in the fight was going for his gun, and broke the boy's finger. They was a lot of controversy surrounding that incident. First because we had an armed officer in a school, second because he broke a student's finger. They kept him anyway. I never felt comfortable with him being there, but with all the school shootings I guess parents felt better having him.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

That's what I don't get... all they could hope to do was delay things, at best. I doubt they thought the kid's parents wouldn't notice. I think they thought it was "just a fight" that teen boys are prone to. His injuries were not initially thought to be that bad.

I know when our son broke his cheekbone it took us almost a day to go to the doctor. We thought it was just a bruise from a karate competition (misplaced kick to face) and it never did look "that bad". Even he thought nothing of it at the time. It was only the next morning when the swelling and pain really showed that we grew concerned. Of course, he didn't need surgery on his.

If the kid had nothing more than a black eye (or less), should the cops have been called in?

I DO think that parents should be informed when physical altercations occur in school, whether or not police are called in.

[MadmamainNC]

“At the time, the immediate time of the incident, there was no ability to be able to tell how severe the injuries were,” he said.
Oh bullshit. The list of injuries he had to have surgery for, hardly says he may have.. ummm... cut himself shaving? The police should have been contacted immediately just on the black eye alone.
There is no way they didn't see this and know how bad it was.

Collora said a school nurse told her that Michael got a black eye, had a cut on his face and was very upset.
Hello???? I guess he was. His face was crushed in. Does this woman not recognize an assault when she sees one?

Judging from the fact that it was Jock against Jock. I wonder how much clout the other Jock's parents have and if this is the underlying reason as to why the police weren't called in the first place? Don't want to lose that extra sports funding and all that.

[MadmamainNC]

If the kid had nothing more than a black eye (or less), should the cops have been called in?.

Years ago, I would say no -School yard scuffling and all that. But today, kids are out of control and we see weapons such as guns and knives being brought into these fights. Of course they just used the tools nature provided them with but you have to maintain some order and consequence over students. Most schools have a zero tolerance policy and cops are usually on stand by.

[RaVen Blackehart]

http://i43.tinypic.com/30bkbgn.jpg


Assault suspect has record of arson, armed robbery!

Curtis Byers, the Williamsville South High School student accused of brutally beating another student, had a violent criminal record that included an armed robbery in August 2007 that left a victim being shot, and the June 2007 arson that nearly killed Buffalo Firefighter Mark P. Reed.

Police and fire officials said Byers was arrested last year and confessed to both crimes but never served any jail time.

Firefighter Reed lost his right leg in the Wende Street arson after a brick chimney collapsed on him and shattered more than 30 bones in his body. Byers, then 15, was sentenced to community service because of his age, officials said.

Two months later, after he had turned 16, Byers was involved in an armed robbery in which he was accused of shooting the victim in the arm while trying to steal a gold necklace. He was charged in the latter case with first degree robbery, and felony assault and criminal possession of a weapon and was placed on probation in State Supreme Court, according to Buffalo detectives.

Fire Commissioner Michael S. Lombardo said today he was always of the opinion that Byers, who was 15 at the time and could not be charged as an adult, deserved harsher punishment.

"I thought he should have gone to jail originally," Lombardo said. "Hopefully now I think the courts will learn their lesson. This person should be incarcerated for awhile.

Lombardo says his fear is that if Byers is allowed to remain free, he will continue to hurt people.

"Let's hope that he doesn't cause more people to be seriously injured or, God forbid, killed," the commissioner said.

Byers, now 17, is charged with a felony assault in the March 24 attack of Michael Lang, 17, in the high school's cafeteria. Surgeons placed four plates in Lang's face to help rebuild it.

According to Lang's relatives and Amherst police, Byers jumped Lang from behind and repeatedly punched him in the face, following an apparent argument over collecting money for a gift for their wrestling coach.

Attorney Francis Amendola, who is representing Byers, said he plans to discuss the incident involving the firefighter with his client.

"I'm going to discuss anything relevant to the defense of my client," Amendola said.

Byers is scheduled to return to Amherst Town Court May 13.

Edla Collora, Lang's mother, in Sunday's Buffalo News, questioned why school district officials did not take more action in the attack on her son. She said she had to contact police.

Williamsville School Superintendent Howard Smith has defended the district, saying the fight was promptly investigated.

When district officials were contacted today to ask if they share the same concerns as Commissioner Lombardo regarding Byers possibly hurting others, they withheld comment and promised to get back with a statement.

Reed, 37, a decorated 11-year veteran of the fire department assigned to Engine 31, remains on extended sick leave and uses a prothetic leg to walk. He has also lost his senses of smell and taste because of a skull fracture in the June 10, 2007, blaze in the vacant house at 120 Wende St.

Lombardo said he remains upset that Byers was allowed to remain free.

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/646531.html

[Dakota Valkyrie]

He was charged in the latter case with first degree robbery, and felony assault and criminal possession of a weapon and was placed on probation in State Supreme Court
Probation?? Wonder what you have to do in Buffalo to get even a 10-day jail sentence.

[Lavonna]

Looks like Curtis Byers has some anger issues.. He needs to get his ass whipped a couple of times and maybe then he would think twice about acting stupid.

[RaVen Blackehart]

The Williamsville South High School student who recently was charged with assaulting a classmate and had a past record of armed robbery and arson is in jail after being charged with violating his probation.

Curtis Byers, 17, was arraigned in State Supreme Court at 2 p.m. before Justice M. William Boller and is being held without bail in the Erie County Holding Center. Byers did not appear to have any family, friends or counsel present at his arraignment and said he could not afford a lawyer.

Byers was charged earlier this month with the felony assault of a classmate in March that resulted in multiple face fractures and required reconstructive surgery.

Prior to his transfer to the school this year, Byers had a criminal record in Buffalo that included a violent armed robbery in August 2007 and the June 2007 arson that nearly killed Buffalo Firefighter Mark P. Reed.

Police and fire officials said Byers confessed to both crimes.

Reed lost his right leg in the Wende Street arson after a brick chimney in the vacant home collapsed on him and shattered more than 30 bones in his body.

Byers not only confessed to setting fire to a vacant East Side building on Wende Street, but also to an armed robbery that occurred on nearby Kilhoffer Street two months later. Police said he and another teen robbed a gold necklace from a victim at gunpoint. The victim was shot in the arm.

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/648028.html

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Did the school know of his record? If not, I still don't see how they could have investigated the incident in less than 12 hours when even the cops have taken longer than that.

[RaVen Blackehart]

http://i44.tinypic.com/2wqtjdl.jpg


Byers awaits sentence as judge sifts record

Williamsville South High School student Curtis Byers is now in jail. And the judge who sent him there said Wednesday that he had misgivings back in September about giving Byers a second chance when he sentenced him to probation in a violent armed robbery.

Byers was arraigned early Wednesday afternoon in State Supreme Court before Justice M. William Boller, who previously had sentenced him to five years’ probation for his role in an armed robbery and shooting.

“I remember this case,” Boller said, shortly before ordering Byers held without bail in the Erie County Holding Center.

Boller said he had been reluctant to sentence him according to youthful offender guidelines, but a relative made an impassioned plea in writing and in person for him to be given a second chance.

Both Byers and his sister were crying in court as she begged the judge to allow her brother a new start, recalled Assistant District Attorney Garrett Grieser. She said her brother had been subjected to years of physical and sexual abuse and neglect at the hands of his family.

“It was very emotional,” Grieser said.

When Boller questioned the sister about how Byers would be set on the right path, she said she would take him in, have him live with her in Williamsville, get him into a decent school and give him the opportunity to start life over.

“I’m prepared to give him the chance he never had,” Grieser recalled her saying.

That faith was apparently misplaced, the judge decided, granting a request by the district attorney’s office to hold Byers until his next court appearance.

He is expected to return to court May 4.

Byers was charged earlier this month with the felony assault of a classmate in March that resulted in multiple face fractures that required reconstructive surgery.

Prior to his transfer to the school

this year, Byers had a violent criminal record in Buffalo that included an armed robbery and shooting in August 2007 and the June 2007 Wende Street arson that nearly killed Buffalo Firefighter Mark P. Reed.

Williamsville School Superintendent Howard Smith said school officials did not immediately contact the police after the student assault in March because administrators were still investigating the incident, unaware of the severity of the victim’s injuries and completely unaware of Byers’ record.

Amherst police charged Byers with felony assault, and the district had the teen transferred to Northtowns Academy, an alternative program on Dexter Terrace in the Town of Tonawanda. That’s where he was picked up by police officers Wednesday.

Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III said he grew very concerned when he saw reports on The Buffalo News Web site Tuesday linking Byers with the arson and an armed robbery in which a victim was shot in the arm.

“When I saw this at 3 o’clock yesterday, I dropped everything,” he said.

Probation officers apparently were already getting paperwork to bring Byers up on probation violation charges, but Sedita said he made Byers’ arrest and arraignment an immediate priority.

He also said he didn’t know why Byers was charged with felony assault in late March by Amherst police but not charged with violating probation sooner than Wednesday — more than three weeks later.

None of Byers’ friends or family members were apparent in court. But six members of the Buffalo Fire Department — including the fire commissioner and arson investigators — showed up to show support for Reed, who lost a leg and is still recovering from injuries suffered fighting the Wende Street fire.

Boller recounted that the terms of Byers’ five-year probation were that he lead a law-abiding life and maintain a curfew from 9 p. m. to 6 a. m.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Drmacich responded that Byers was involved in the felony assault of classmate Michael Lang, 17, on March 24 and also violated his curfew on April 15. On that date, Byers was seen at 11 p. m. in Bennett Village Terrace in Buffalo “associating with a known drug dealer.”

Sedita, who was also present at the arraignment, said he wouldn’t criticize Boller for his decision to offer Byers probation.

Byers was 15 when he set fire to the vacant house on Wende Street in June 2007. He was considered a juvenile offender for that crime and sentenced in Family Court to 100 hours of community service for the third-degree arson charge.

Byers turned 16 a month later. He was subsequently charged as an adult when he committed an armed robbery with another teen in August 2007, which involved stealing a gold necklace from a victim at a house party. In the struggle, prosecutors said, the victim was shot in the arm.

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/648563.html

[RaVen Blackehart]

Alleges failure to protect against student’s violence

The parent of a Williamsville South High School student intends to sue the school district for not protecting her son against a classmate with a history of arson and armed robbery.

“It was common knowledge among the students that this kid had problems,” said John Murrett, a partner with Cellino and Barnes, who recently filed the notice of claim against the Williamsville Central School District.

Student Curtis Byers, 17, was charged earlier this month with attacking classmate Michael Lang in the South High cafeteria on March 24. He was charged with felony assault after causing Lang to suffer multiple face fractures that required reconstructive surgery.

Murrett filed the notice of claim on behalf of Lang’s mother, Edla Collora.

The document states that Collora is suing the district for, among other things, “failing to have proper personnel present to ensure the safety

of students,” “failure to alert other students of the dangerous background” of Byers and “failure to properly investigate the background of incoming transfer students.”

Williamsville Superintendent Howard Smith said the district was never informed about Byers’ background and, like many districts, doesn’t do criminal background checks on students.

Prior to Byers’ transfer to Williamsville from Buffalo this school year, he had a violent criminal record that included an armed robbery and shooting in August 2007 and the June 2007 Wende Street arson that nearly killed Buffalo Firefighter Mark P. Reed.

Byers was treated as an adult in court in the armed robbery but was granted youthful offender status by State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller and placed on probation after a relative came forward, described a long history of child abuse and neglect, and asked that Byers be given another chance.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/668651.html

[Envy]

My school had a DARE officer as well, but both of them , my father and his replacement, were useless. I'll admit they are a foreboding presence but unless you are a repeat offender and continuously caused problems you opt not to press charges. If this became a common enough occurrence, however, you lost the option. The fight, and participants were recorded but nothing else usually happened.

[RaVen Blackehart]

Curtis Byers, whose crimes already have landed him in prison, was indicted today on felony assault charges for an incident at Williamsville South High School.

Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III said Byers, 17, will be brought to court Monday morning from the Wende Correctional Facility and arraigned before Senior Erie County Judge Michael L. D'Amico.

Byers already is serving a 1 1/3 to four-year-prison term for violating the probation he was given for a Buffalo armed robbery last year. He now faces a felony charge for allegedly fracturing the face of Michael Lang, 17, captain of the Williamsville South wrestling team during a cafeteria fight March 24.

The probation violation charge was levied because of the fight , but he had not been charged with a crime in that case until today. If convicted of the latest charge, Byers faces another seven years in prison.

State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller, who sent Byers to prison for the probation violation, initially spared Byers a prison term last year for the robbery because of an impassioned courtroom plea from Byers older sister. That sister then took Byers into her Amherst home and got the boy transferred to Williamsville South.

A few months earlier, Erie County Family Court Judge Paul Buchanan granted Byers youthful offender status for a June 10, 2007 arson on Wende Street in Buffalo. Firefighter Mark P. Reed, 38, was badly injured in that blaze and eventually lost his right leg as a result.

http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/708517.html