A fifth teenager has been arrested in connection with a mob attack last year of 72-year-old former 49ers linebacker Ed Beard.
The Virginian-Pilot reports that the 16-year-old girl, whose name has not been released, was charged with malicious wounding and malicious wounding by mob in connection with the October 23 attack on Beard. Four boys have already been charged, including one 16-year-old who confessed last month and said the beating was part of a gang initiation.
Beard laughed when told by the Virginian-Pilot that a girl was charged.
“Former NFL linebacker beaten up by a girl,” Beard said he expected headlines to read.
But there was nothing funny about the beating, which began when Beard came upon a group of teenagers beating up another boy. Beard attempted to jump in to help the boy, and that’s when the teenagers attacked him. Beard sustained cuts and bruises and a black eye and needed stitches.
The girl who was arrested is being charged as a juvenile, and the attorney for the boy who confessed said he also hopes his client will be sentenced as a juvenile. But Beard said he thinks the teenagers who attacked him “should know what the big jail is all about.”