-
Savoy (in purple) kicks another student in a West Brook bathroom. -
A teen boxes in a bathroom bout. -
Jordon Jermaine Savoy
Beaumont ISD’s West Brook High School made its rounds on social media in September, The Examiner opened an investigation and obtained more than 20 videos depicting fights and assaults on the campus, revealing what students call a combative culture.
Since unveiling the pervasive pugnacity displayed by a number of students at the school, administrators have done little to address – or quell – the violence, students say. Those students, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, told The Examiner they witnessed approximately 30-40 fights in the first month of school alone.
“You show up, and you’re biting your teeth, like ‘When am I going to get mugged?’” one student told The Examiner. “The atmosphere of fighting has become so well-established that it’s become a sport.”
In fact, footage reviewed by this newspaper shows two students, armed with boxing gloves, in a haphazard melee in the boy’s bathroom. The duo performed their planned bout before an audience of approximately 20 teenage boys, who filled nearly every available space.
The Examiner filed an information request with BISD Sept. 15, requesting the number of felony and misdemeanor cases the district police have referred to the Jefferson County District Attorney for prosecution. Sept. 20, a lawyer representing BISD told the publication that data wasn’t something district police tracked annually.
“I spoke with Chief (Joseph) Malbrough, and the issue is their current software they use cannot generate this type of report,” said Kendra Walters, an attorney for Karczewski, Bradshaw, Spalding (KBS) Law Group. “They can’t just run a report for referred cases and it spit out a report or a number. I asked if there was any other systems in place, like written documents, and there wasn’t really a uniform system in place that would have that specific information.”
When asked if the BISD PD keeps an annual count of criminal cases they refer to the local DA, BISD’s legal representative said, “No, unfortunately not. They are in the process of updating their software system, and, hopefully, that’s something they can do in the future.”
Sept. 29, BISD attorneys provided a cost estimate for the requested data, saying it could complete the inquiry for $6,932.44.
The “time-consuming” project would allegedly take just over 369 hours – more than nine, 40-hour workweeks – and comprise 2,773 pages of disciplinary data.
According to data provided by the DA’s office, BISD PD referred 539 criminal cases between Sept. 19, 2017, and Sept. 13.
Since then, DA prosecutors have moved forward with charging the 16-year-old student caught on camera in the viral bathroom beatdown.
According to the probable cause affidavit released Dec. 14, on Sept. 7, West Brook campus police learned of an assault that had taken place in a bathroom at the high school. Further information from the victim revealed that the suspect, identified as Jordon Jermaine Savoy, opened the stall in the boys restroom once his unsuspecting target entered.
“(The) victim stated in an attempt to vacate the area, (he) pulled Savoy by his shirt after Savoy demanded items located in the victim’s shorts, including the victim’s cellular device,” reads the affidavit. “It was at this time the assault occurred, when the victim stated he had no belongings on him. Video obtained shows the victim in the fetal position, on the floor, while Savoy continuously delivered closed-hand strikes and kicks to the victim. Savoy left the victim on the floor without seeking any medical attention.”
Investigators say Savoy eluded police, as well as campus administrators, for approximately three class periods after hearing from friends that law enforcement was on his trail. A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Savoy for robbery.
Christian Jones, an NAACP representative who spoke to The Examiner on behalf of Savoy, asserts that the incident was actually the escalation of a fight between the victim and accused.
Savoy, who stood with Jones and his relatives Dec. 15 protesting the teen’s innocence outside the Jefferson County Courthouse, allegedly took nothing from the student he’s accused of robbing.