'Bumfight' Videos Inspired Joy-Killing

Florida Teen Tells Ed Bradley He Killed Homeless Man 'For Fun'

(CBS)  Teenagers call it "bum-hunting" and it is a perverse national trend. Across the country, packs of teenage boys are stalking homeless people and attacking them, shooting them with paintball guns, beating them with baseball bats, even dousing them with gasoline and setting them on fire. Over the last five years, at least one homeless person has been murdered each month, for no apparent reason.

Homeless advocates say that if any other group was being targeted like this, there’d be a national outcry. But as correspondent Ed Bradley reports, the only thing that seems to spark any outrage is when one of these attacks is captured on video.

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Last January in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., two teenagers were caught on video surveillance tape as they beat a homeless man with baseball bats and ran away. The man survived. But that same night, the same kids beat another homeless man, 45-year-old Norris Gaynor, to death.

Seventeen-year-old Thomas Daugherty and 18-year-old Brian Hooks were identified by more than a dozen classmates as the boys on the tape. Still, they pled “not guilty” and are awaiting trial.

Since people living on the streets usually don’t report crime, there are no reliable government statistics. But the National Coalition for the Homeless, using local news reports and other sources, says that since 1999 there have been more than 500 such attacks, resulting in 180 deaths.

One of those killed was 53-year-old Michael Roberts, who was attacked in Holly Hill, Fla. in May 2005. Four teens, aged 14 through 18 confessed to the crime, saying they stumbled across Roberts in the woods where they had gone to smoke pot. Off and on over three hours, they beat him to death.

Jeffrey Spurgeon was the oldest member of the group. "The main thing that I can't keep out of my head. That I keep thinking about 24/7 is Michael asking for help, and asking us stop, and screaming for help," Spurgeon says.

Bradley met Spurgeon at his new home, a state prison in Jasper, Fla., where he has been sentenced to spend the next 35 years. He told 60 Minutes his 14-year-old, 220-pound friend, Chris Scamahorn, started the attack.

[nothappyatall]

It's an ACT, people like this don't murder because of a TV COMMERCIAL, nor do they suddenly change AFTER being sentenced, this is a "poor dear me" bleeding heart act designed to eventually get his arse out EARLY on parole by showing he is now just a good boy and will do his homework asignments, and besides- he found ~JeSUs~ so he must be ok!

Park his behind behind bars for the full 35 years- till he is 54.

[vipaka]

The word "exciting" is what grabbed my attention. Has it truly come to this?Viciousness, beatings, cheap thrills, and the careless disregard of others is "exciting"??? We know it's profitable now--capitalizing off the pain of others. It's not sin; it's the game of "exciting".

[terribayless-2009]

The guy only sounds like he is sorry he got ended up in jail. Saying don't do this because you will end up here. "Look at me now." When he should be saying, that a man is dead because of him and don't do it. This world is becoming such a scary place!

[agnim]

Hopefully this fiend will die confined away from society, since he has not respect for the lives of members of society.

What's wrong with this country is the level of ignorance that allows the folly of 'free speech' to trump the wisdom that would demand the promotion of life-supporting behaviors.

How on god's green earth can any healthy society allow someone to shoot and worse sell films such as Bumfights that negatively impact the minds of the young/weak citizens?

The monies of the creators of "Bumfights" should be taken away and given to homeless people; and the creators should be spending prison time with this murdering devil.

[edjohn66]

Ryan McPherson is just as much of a criminal as Spurgeon. They should both be in jail.

Also, whatever company that bought the rights to "Bumfights" should be held accountable for the effect its had. Its time to hold companies for the messages they are sending our nation's youth.

[kooth]

What do you expect from our young people now? They need look any further than our own government and the torture "mentality" that they have.

The whole world can see that some of our methods are the same or worse that the terrorist we claim to fight. Our President has stated that the terrorists "hate our freedom." Well look around you: We have lost some of our most cherished freedoms and will lose more while they are in power. In essence, the terrorist have already won.

[gmond]

Bumfights, as repugnant as it is, was about homeless people agreeing to fight each other for various rewards offered by the filmmakers.

I do not recall anything in the video suggesting that anyone should arm themselves and go out to beat up homeless people.

These kids were just cruel, vicious garbage looking to hurt others for kicks. Period. Put the blame where it belongs.

[vipaka]

Offering homeless people rewards to fight each other is abusive unethical behavior. What if someone had been killed? They used to throw christians to the lions, too. It was entertainment.

[duntaday]

Apocolypse is upon us I think. And I'm not even religious. Kids are morons and more of them should die or be killed for this kind of stupidity. But better yet, the parents who pop them out like they've never heard of condoms should be crucified. There is no basic human right to breed ignorance!!!!

[azman80]

We as a society are not doing enough to fight dumb brainless chunks of flesh. What needs to be done, is to put these kids in a miserable boot camp that will put fear and order in these minds that are acting like the world is all theirs.

[artinspires]

No one should be homeless in this world. Housing is a basic human right, not a privilege. When such an important issue is left unsolved by responsible adults obviously children begin to perceive that it's okay to class "homeless people" as targets of ridicule and violence. Somehow it's okay now that we have inside and outside people. Compassion and respect for others must be taught as well, somehow the kids who murdered another human being because he lived outside did not get this lesson. Are we teaching this? Or are we communicating that those outside are less than human and therefore disposable. In addition to the bumfight videos why are children
killing police, women and others in video game scenarios before they are even in school? We have left these people to wander and now we have taught
our children to be sociopaths and hunt the poor and disenfranchised for sport? Wake up people, we should have solved this problem twenty years ago
P.S. this is a class issue

[plowhandle]

What are the youth of America supposed to think about life when the nation is led by the Republican Party, who would just as soon see us all subsist on eating the poor ? They have no use for Middle Class, either ethically or morally - witness the latest scandal with one of their shining members of Congress - caught excercising his Family Values a bit too vigorously.

The nation is in a moral dilemma - but it should begin to turn around once the Republicans are sent back to their law offices, brokerage houses, and country clubs...that is, when they are thrown out of the halls of Congress.

[fiendout420]

Everyone has a choice to do what they want and make thier own decisions. This kid did not have to "mock" what he saw on the "Bumfights" video. He is apparently weak minded and easily influenced and somehow thought it was ok to kill. He shows no remorse. The only blame to be placed is with Spurgeon. He did it with his own mind....thought it would be fun. The Bumfights video and others alike are strictly to open the mind of the people that are closed to the reality we all live in. Not to kill. Our gov't has serious issues, and the way society and media is, everything is a product of that. Spurgeon is serving time for something he decided to do and doesnt seem to accept responsibility. You cant just say, oh i saw it in a movie or a video, so that must be the reason i did it......

[wahine10]

The accountability lies with Spurgeon. He wasn't 10 years old when he did this. He had free choice. And he still isn't accepting recponsibility for what he did. Instead of saying "this was wrong and a cruel, sick thing to do" he's basically saying don't do it because look at me, I got caught. His parents (for his upbringing) and anyone connected with the bumfights video have some responsibility for this, too. The fact that there are people out there who want to make videos like this to make money is scarey. Macpherson should feel VERY BAD about capitalizing on the unfortunate.

[mosarg]

This was one of the most disturbing segments I have ever seen. Reporting this sort of terrible violence is important..we can't fix what we don't know about... BUT, I do wish there was a warning of the graphic nature of the video clips.

[jdcapshew]

Bumfights and the stupid young men who attack homeless people are the signs of a very sick society. The guy who dreamed it up is selling garbage to ignorant kids. He's in it for the money and he's got blood on his hands.

[jonchel2]

For Ed Bradley to be outraged that the young man shooting video of "bum hunting" is the greatest example of hypcrisy by the media I have ever witnessed. I bet ol' Ed never considered giving up an Arab terrorist when he got the chance to interview one.

John Vreeland
O'Fallon IL

[wormjuice1]

Lol..just because people do it on film for entertainment, doesn't mean people can do it else where for fun and hold the originators liable. Thats like watching a movie with killing and doing it with your own camera and saying it was ok cause you saw it on the movie. Totally rediculous.

[mlootner]

Just when I thought I was against capital punishment. . . After this episode an eye for an eye doesn't sound too bad and it should start with making Ryan McPherson live as a homeless person for the rest of his life. How horrid. Anyone still want to debate the effects violent media and video games are having on our society?

[srd2162]

WOW!!!! It is totally rediculous to think that Bum Fights caused these kids to kill bums. If videos are this effective at altering kids lives then parents should make their kids watch videos of kids going to college "like hundreds of times".

[jba1041]

Such a scary story. Being older, weaker, are we to be next? Or the disabled, another group perceived as weaker? Where does this senselss violence end? And when will these kids take responsibility and give up their 'entitlement' attitude? I am just stunned almost speechless.

[Eg Guy]

Did anybody else here wonder how far in advance 60 Minutes notified the Bumfights producer that they wanted to interview him? How many kids do you see these days his age (in some sort of media business) with a full beard? I think the guy grew the beard for the interview (it looked natural) 'cause he was afraid of being recognized somewhere.

[herbfellows]

The people who made BUMFIGHTS SHOULD BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULL AVAILABLE EXTENT OF THE LAW. The stupid kids who followed through certainly deserve what they get, but that these scumbags escape prosecution is a travesty.

[bumperboyan]

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE PARENTS ARE TO BLAME.
FIRST FOR BREEDING SUCH STUPID OFFSPRING.
SECONDLY FOR NOT TEACHING THEM RIGHT FROM WRONG.
AND FINALLY FOR NOT MAKING SURE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THAT MEANS BEING ACCOUNTABLE . ( FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVEN'T A CLUE . )

[hillarlyn]

How can we contact this creep McPherson--or his parents. I could not believe his smugness. And it is obvious that he is continuing with his videowork. After all, he's now a millionaire and millionaires don't have to listen to anyone.
I think he should hear from people who disagree with him. What he has done is outside the boundries of civil behavior. He comes on like a sociopath himself and somebody should redirect him before he does some serious damage in this world.
--Glen Ellyn, Illinois

[kimwilson22]

While Bumfights is disgusting, the boys who beat the homeless are responsible for their own cruel actions. Ultimately, we all make our own decisions and must be held accountable. When mistreating anything (more helpless than ourselves or not) becomes "exciting" and entertaining, we're all in trouble. People with no sense of compassion and empathy are dangerous to us all.

[nwperkins1]

This is lowest I have ever seen for America. Anyone who thinks this is entertainment, probably would kick their best friend in the face if they were down on the ground.. This is beyond sick.

If you are interested in making sure tha Bum Fights is out of business, let me know. I can't think of a more important cause than doing away with this horrific abuse of our most vunerable. In fact, I think we should look into whether the people behind these videos can be prosecuted for assault.

[philiiiip]

Thank goodness for Judge Will! I rarely hear of a judge passing sentences that keep criminals, no matter what their 'sob stories' may be, off the streets and away from innocent people like me and my family! How can we get him onto The Supreme Court???

[garciars]

I think the worst is the film maker who could not see how he is involved in the beatings of the others who are doing this. He was actually laughing!!! This is all a sad commint on our society and what a lot of the general population (for lack of a better way to catagorize them) are not even appalled at the whole situation. The film maker should have been the first one jailed for his abuse of the homeless and tragic people of our society. I don't know any more if there is a remedy for our problems!!!

[judy_in_wi]

I've come to accept it's going to take about ten years for the rest of you people to figure it out. Why does anyone under 35-years-old do stupid things like killing their classmates or beating up homeless people? Its because we've made morality a dirty word. The ten commandments are no longer a really good set of rules for all of us. They are outlawed. Guilt is bad. Doing what feels right is right. Ask the little socio-paths society has failed. In my generation, you could be raised by really awful parents and turn out okay because other parents, teachers and society members were there to some extent to keep them in line. We still had criminals but not like now. My children are in this under-35 generation. I truly believe that the only thing that kept them from being one of these freaks is guilt and the teachings instilled in them by me and the leaders of the various childhood churches they attended. They are now fine, giving, hard-working and law-abiding adults. All in spite of society rather than because of it.

[judy_in_wi]

I've come to accept it's going to take about ten years for the rest of you people to figure it out. Why does anyone under 35-years-old do stupid things like killing their classmates or beating up homeless people? Its because we've made morality a dirty word. The ten commandments are no longer a really good set of rules for all of us. They are outlawed. Guilt is bad. Doing what feels good is good. Ask the little socio-paths society has failed. In my generation, you could be raised by really awful parents and turn out okay because other parents, teachers and society members were there to some extent to keep them in line. We still had criminals but not like now. My children are in this later generation. I truly believe that the only thing that kept them from being one of these freaks is guilt and the teachings instilled in them by me and the leaders of the various childhood churches they attended. They are now fine, giving, hard-working and law-abiding adults. All in spite of society rather than because of it.

[annaliciab]

What has happened to our world? What has happened to these kids who think it's "something to do" to beat up homeless people? As I write this I am crying so hard. These individuals (the homeless) are human beings for God's sake. They are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts, grandfathers and grandmothers...what has our society turned in to for these youths to think it is an okay thing to do. My heart cries and hurts so much there are no words to describe what I am feeling right now. I am so sad.

[michele4729]

It comes back on the parents!!!!!! They should be teaching their kids right from wrong!!!!! What I just saw was SICK! Its really sad we have enough to worry about in our country right now!

[mrowli2477]

The boys who killed the homeless man for the fun of it should be made to pay for it in such a way so they might be reminded of it for the rest of their lives. I would suggest cutting an arm off of each, in addition to long prison sentences.

[skunkymonk]

I was horrified and pissed to hear a reprehensible Ron McPherson defending his gang for going out and getting a homeless guy drunk, tying him up, gagging the guy with duct tape and beating him, all-the-while thinking it was funny, and saying it was nothing more than a %u201CSKIT%u201D%u2026
Do me a favor, tell Ronny that me and a couple of my buddies want to get him all liquored up one night and do the same %u201CSKIT%u201D with him as the homeless guy%u2026 See if Ron%u2019s still up for the %u201CSKIT%u201D where he%u2019s the victim and we%u2019re just a couple of innocent guys with a video camera? Let%u2019s see how funny he thinks it is then%u2026%u2026

What kind of egotistical creeps is our society growing these days?

[pamela06-2009]

Television, Video, DVD... Why do we continue to blame media? Why interview the producer of this muck, and not the parents of these packs of cowards? Who is teaching these 'kids' the difference between right and wrong? "Fun" this 'kid' calls it! It is horrifying, and we should be more fearful of the low-lifes committing these cowardly deeds than of the Homeless person(s) we encounter

[paul_kansas]

Ryan needs to get some of his own meds. Of course he had nothing to do with this, he is a "saint" - hopefully an attorney will see how they can put Ryan behind bars for creating this hate crime and promoting it. This kid is sick and what is sicker is the company willing to pay $1.5 million for the rights!! Ryan, I hope your parents are proud of you!

[nicholas59]

I know it's hard in the spur of the moment when conducting and interview.
Ed, when the man who shot and produced Bum Fights justified his defense as bums and kids that were high on drugs or alcohol. I think the best response is this; he's is no different, only his addiction is money.There are those who have drug problems and hunger for money that don't hurt people, and there are those who take advantage of people and take advantage of their weaknesses because there weakness is a moral conciousness.
Good reporting to CBS

Nick

[cgm74]

My uncle was homeless and was murdered last December. His murder had no relation to the Bumfights videos, but it tore me apart and made me very angry to watch the show and learn about these videos. I teach high school and it worries me greatly because I can see these same violent tendencies in some of the students at our school. Are the people in these videos doing the violence being prosecuted? Didn't the officers in the Rodney King beating get prosecuted? How is it legal to make and distribute these videos? Someone please explain. I never knew my homeless uncle was in so much danger. He never bothered anyone. Like some of the "bums" on Bumfights he just couldn't get the alcohol out of his system. Every time I see a homeless person, I am always reminded of my uncle. I try to help the person, even if it is just a simple prayer for them. This whole thing is very disturbing and I will be discussing this with my students on Monday. I'm trying to do my part, my wish is that other good people out there will do their small part.

[janetkress]

I agree with the comments about Mc Pherson - he is dispicable, one can only hope that he finds himself homeless one day. However, equally as dispicable is the componay or person who paid him $1.5 million dollars in validation. Why was there name not included in your report. They help to fiance such imoral behavour. I want to know so that I can insure that my spending and investment dollars do not support their bad judgement.

[mrsthom]

PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS NOT OUTRAGED. I AM OUTRAGES...DISGUSTED...BUT IT IS NOT A SURPRISE. LOOK AT WHAT EVERYONE WATCHES ON TV: DEATH, MURDER, CRIME, ETC. LOOK AT THE VIDEO GAMES THAT TEENAGERS PLAY THESE DAYS. (AND THEIR PARENTS BUY THEM FOR THEIR CHILDREN. AMERICA HAS NO ONE BUT THEMSELVES TO BLAME. YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ AND WATCH...TELEVISION, MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES TEACH. (NOT EDUCATE.) AND C.B.S.-YOU ARE ALSO TO BLAME. LOOK AT YOUR LINE UP:
C.S.I., C.S.I. MIAMI, COLDCASE, WITHOUT A TRACE, NCIS, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, CRIMINAL MINDS,ETC.
YES...I'M DISGUSTED...BUT NOT JUST AT THE WAY OF OUR YOUTH, BUT AT THE MEDIA...TAKE THE BLAME TOO C.B.C. MRS. THOM..SLC, UTAH.

[shmekl]

McPherson should be put away for life. is there nothing they can get him for in court? I would love to see him homeless. This show made me sick. I would like to have just one minute in a cell with these teenagers and I'm a middle-aged female.
I would join a cause to get these videos and this guy and his partners off the streets.
The world is bad enough, ADULTS watch your kids or set an example. I would love to meet McPherson's family, millionaire will mean nothing for any of them one day.

Julie-Ohio

[mrsthom]

PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS NOT OUTRAGED. I AM OUTRAGED...DISGUSTED...BUT IT IS NOT A SURPRISE. LOOK AT WHAT EVERYONE WATCHES ON TV: DEATH, MURDER, CRIME, ETC. LOOK AT THE VIDEO GAMES THAT TEENAGERS PLAY THESE DAYS.(AND THEIR PARENTS BUY THEM FOR THEIR CHILDREN.)
AMERICA HAS NO ONE BUT THEMSELVES TO BLAME. YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ AND WATCH...TELEVISION, MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES TEACH. (NOT EDUCATE.) C.B.S.-YOU ARE ALSO TO BLAME. LOOK AT YOUR LINE UP:

C.S.I., C.S.I. MIAMI, COLDCASE, WITHOUT A TRACE, NCIS, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, CRIMINAL MINDS,ETC.

YES...I'M DISGUSTED...BUT NOT JUST AT THE WAY OF OUR YOUTH, BUT AT THE MEDIA...

TAKE THE BLAME TOO C.B.S. MRS. THOM..SLC, UTAH.

[bravo95-91]

For those of you who seem to think a video/music/movie can't or doesn't influence people's thought processes, you are dead wrong. We are all influenced by some form of subliminal conditioning everytime we turn on the tv and watch the same commercials repeated over and over. Same process works with negative video entertainment. These "Bumfight" videos are very suggestive.

I firmly believe the film maker (if he can be called that) is 100% just a guilty as the actual perps. This is truly abhorrent behavior being promoted by amoral opportunists in my opinion. They are inciting violence for monetary gain.

Kudos to Judge Joseph Will for his stand in the sentencing of this creeps. This country needs more judges like him.

[billie17-2009]

The producer of the Bum Fights videos is not 'just a kid with a camera shooting stuff'. He is paying incredibly desperate people tiny sums of money or alcohol to harm themselves for his amusement. He has made himself very wealthy exploiting the most vulnerable in society. On his website he claims to be trying to shed light on addiction and homeless issues but I would be curious to know how much of the 1.5 million he will be donating to homeless outreach. Hmmm, I would guess none.

On the website he asks for viewers to send in their own Bum Fights footage yet doesn't quite grasp the connection between his videos and young men beating the homeless.

I was absolutely galled that he would go on 60 minutes and attempt (very poorly) to defend his product. Luckily, he came off as a complete and utter moron.

[mconcerned]

It is amazing the extent to which people can be cruel. For someone to think that it would be good to make a video that makes violence towards helpless people funny, and then for people to actually buy the video, for him to be able to sell the right for that much, and for stupid kids to act on it makes me extremely sad.

I think that McPherson is a criminal. He not only perpetuated the disease of some homeless people and their alcoholism, but paid them a minimal (in our minds) amount, which (keep in mind) means a lot more to someone without a home, for profit and to encourage a new trend in violence. Also to video abuse of unsuspecting homeless people, that is a felony-assault. The people who bought the rights are just as sick, capitalizing on the victimization of helpless, unfortunate people. Those who bought the videos are sick and financially supported such monsters. The cruel who acted on what they saw. I do not think that these videos MAKE people kill and beat up homeless people, but I do think that FOR SOME, they do have an effect, and that they give people ideas, or something to do when they are high. They are responsible for their own actions, but they were INSPIRED by other's actions.

All parties, except for those who just watched the videos, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I think that we should cut off their financial gain from victimizing people and petition and boycott stores that sell the videos. Anyone interested?

[ashtongramp]

I want this evil, sick, video Bumfights taken out of all the Stores. How can you feel good about yourself, and sell this video, or for that matter watch it. How can another person look or treat another living person as an object or anything less. You are evil if you get enjoyment out of watching or making these videos. Wickedness never was happiness.

[bravo95-91]

"hopefully an attorney will see how they can put Ryan behind bars for creating this hate crime and promoting it." Posted by paul_kansas at 09:03 PM : Oct 01, 2006

Exactly paul_kansas. These so called film makers are doing nothing more than inciting violence and promoting death of the homeless people. And, there will always be some punk out there thinking it is cute, macho or some other postured form of bravado to do this.

I can think of a number of statues that could apply of the State Attorney General's and U.S. Attorney General's office would get off their butts and prosecute them. Crime for PROFIT has always been illegal. These are indeed "hate crimes" as paul_kansas stated.

Who needs Abu Ghraib when we have "Bumfights" to show what Americans are really like. I don't mean on the surface, but deep down inside. People who laugh at bumfights are real Americans, too. It's more popular than Jesus.

[mconcerned]

To nwperkins1 and ashtongramp,

I think we should do something. I think that after this fantastic show that opened many eyes, plus some public concern voiced to companies via petitions, we can get this video off of the shelves. I do not believe in cencorship, but I also do not believe in capitalizing on crime and violence.