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Hardcastle Pleads Guilty in Polk Video Beating

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 29, 2009

Brittni Hardcastle, a Polk County teen accused in the world-famous videotaped beating of Victoria Lindsay, pleaded guilty today to felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor battery, according to the state attorney's office.

Hardcastle was first arrested in April, along with four other teen girls and two teen boys accused of participating in an attack on the then-16-year-old Lindsay and recording the beating on video.

A judge will make a decision on Hardcastle's sentence March 20. The plea agreement calls for three to five years of probation. She could spend months behind bars but the judge also could say that won't be necessary, said Chip Thullbery, a spokesman for the state attorney's office.

Conditions of Hardcastle's probation state that write a letter of apology to Lindsay but won't have contact with her, will pay restitution and will not earn money from media interviews.

Before accepting the plea, Hardcastle was facing charges of kidnapping, battery and tampering with a witness.

"Given all the facts and circumstances around the case and after conversations with the victim's family, it [the plea agreement] appeared to be a just result of the case," Thullbery said.

Polk County sheriff's detectives say the teens were going to post the video on YouTube and MySpace in retaliation for online smack-talking between the girls.

Charges against the boys, who were accused of acting as lookouts, were dropped.

Hardcastle, Mercades Nichols and Brittany Mayes have made plea agreements.

Kayla Hassell and April Cooper still face charges. They are expected to make pleas before a judge Wednesday morning, Thullbery said.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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