Prosecutors charge couple after wife tapes son beating up girl

Friday, February 7th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) _ Muskogee County prosecutors have charged a Webbers Falls couple with permitting abuse to a child after the wife videotaped their son beating up a female classmate.

Charges were filed Thursday against Sheila Chapman and Jeffery David Chapman, both of whom bonded out of jail the day before.

Sheila Chapman, 35, is accused of filming her 11-year-old son beating up a fifth-grade classmate on Monday. The girl suffered knots on her head, a bruised temple and cheek and a broken hand.

Prosecutors also filed a misdemeanor aggravated assault and battery count against Sheila Chapman, who told the Muskogee Daily Phoenix that she recorded the attack not realizing it was wrong to allow the children to fight.

Sheila Chapman had two of her neighbors' children in the vehicle with her while she made the tape, Assistant District Attorney Sejin Brooks said Thursday.

Prosecutors allege the Chapmans caused harm to their 11-year-old son by threatening their son if he didn't fight the girl.

Brooks said the tape shows Chapman's son walking toward the girl, who is on a scooter in a driveway.

``The camera comes down, and you see the boy on top of the girl hitting the girl repeatedly,'' he said, noting that the girl was being hit in the head.

``Then you see the girl attempt to stand up. He has one arm around her head and neck area and is wrenching her neck as he hits her with the other hand.''

Brooks said when the girl tries to get away, the boy goes after her again, jumps on her, hits her and then walks away. The tape ends, he said.