A Navy Veteran to Face Prison Time for Brutal Beating of Disabled Man
In a shocking turn of events, a former Navy veteran has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the brutal beating of a disabled man who used a wheelchair. The victim, Rudy Diaz, suffered severe frostbite, resulting in the amputation of all ten toes, and was left severely disabled.
According to court records, the incident occurred on July 2022, when Diaz was attacked by Hayden Humphreys, described as "likely intoxicated," after being thrown out of a bar near Bush Intercontinental Airport. Witnesses reported that Humphreys repeatedly struck Diaz in the face with "haymakers" before police arrived at the scene.
Diaz's brother, Benji Diaz, described his brother as incapable of defending himself, given his physical limitations and reliance on his wheelchair. The family disputes Humphreys' claim that Diaz attacked him, stating that this account is not credible.
The victim died 19 days after the assault from complications of blunt force trauma. Humphreys, who had been free on bond on a murder charge, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday. As part of his plea agreement, he will face an eight-year prison sentence.
Humphreys' attorney acknowledged that their client's actions were "deeply sobering and life-changing" for him and his loved ones. The defense also noted that Diaz had drugs in his system at the time of the incident and pre-existing health issues. However, the family and prosecution disagree with this characterization, arguing that Humphreys' behavior was avoidable.
Diaz's brother expressed disappointment but gratitude towards the plea deal, stating that he feared Humphreys would negotiate for probation. The victim's family hopes that Humphreys will receive a fair sentence, given the severity of his actions.
Humphreys is set to be formally sentenced on December 1st. His case highlights the complexities and challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, who are increasingly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
In a shocking turn of events, a former Navy veteran has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the brutal beating of a disabled man who used a wheelchair. The victim, Rudy Diaz, suffered severe frostbite, resulting in the amputation of all ten toes, and was left severely disabled.
According to court records, the incident occurred on July 2022, when Diaz was attacked by Hayden Humphreys, described as "likely intoxicated," after being thrown out of a bar near Bush Intercontinental Airport. Witnesses reported that Humphreys repeatedly struck Diaz in the face with "haymakers" before police arrived at the scene.
Diaz's brother, Benji Diaz, described his brother as incapable of defending himself, given his physical limitations and reliance on his wheelchair. The family disputes Humphreys' claim that Diaz attacked him, stating that this account is not credible.
The victim died 19 days after the assault from complications of blunt force trauma. Humphreys, who had been free on bond on a murder charge, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday. As part of his plea agreement, he will face an eight-year prison sentence.
Humphreys' attorney acknowledged that their client's actions were "deeply sobering and life-changing" for him and his loved ones. The defense also noted that Diaz had drugs in his system at the time of the incident and pre-existing health issues. However, the family and prosecution disagree with this characterization, arguing that Humphreys' behavior was avoidable.
Diaz's brother expressed disappointment but gratitude towards the plea deal, stating that he feared Humphreys would negotiate for probation. The victim's family hopes that Humphreys will receive a fair sentence, given the severity of his actions.
Humphreys is set to be formally sentenced on December 1st. His case highlights the complexities and challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, who are increasingly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
, I cant believe someone can just do that to a human being like that. the fact that he was a navy vet and thought he could just use his training to hurt some guy who's defenseless because of his disability is just wrong 
. I think 8 years in prison is still way too lenient for someone who has shown such a blatant disregard for life, especially when you consider that the victim had pre-existing health issues and was left with severe frostbite. it's not like the guy was walking around minding his own business, he was just out to have a drink at a bar 
. I hope the judge is watching this case closely and throws the book at him on December 1st 
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and now his bro has to live with the trauma 
i feel bad for him & his fam, they deserve justice 
That's some seriously bad thinking right there. And the fact that we're still dealing with abuse and exploitation of people with disabilities like this is, like, totally unacceptable.
It's gonna be a long road to recovery for Rudy Diaz' family, but at least they got some justice, right?
Let's keep pushing for change and making sure our laws protect the most vulnerable among us #BeMoreInclusive #ProtectTheProtected
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he was thrown out of a bar after getting into an altercation and then gets caught and beaten like that? it sounds like the dude in the wheelchair was asking for trouble, you know? and another thing, what if he wasn't totally sober but still lost control and took matters into his own hands? i'm not saying he's off the hook or anything, but i think we need to consider all the factors here before passing judgment. eight years is a pretty harsh sentence, imo 
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. And yeah, Humphreys' defense team is trying to spin this as if Diaz was somehow responsible for the attack... please 
. It's a wake-up call for us all to be more considerate and empathetic towards others 
. Let's hope Humphreys gets the help he needs & learns from his mistakes #DisabilityAwareness #EmpathyInAction
what kind of system lets that happen? 
they need protection and resources to live safe lives 
not to be exploited by people who don't care about their well-being 
Hayden Humphreys is still gonna be out in like 6 yrs, meanwhile his victim's brother has to deal with PTSD 
The fact that Humphreys' defense team is trying to spin this as if Diaz was somehow at fault because of his disability is just infuriating 
