Court appearance, but little progress in case of teacher’s aide accused of slapping special needs student



Mary Brown



MILWAUKEE -- The MPS teacher's aide charged with battery and disorderly conduct was in court for a hearing Friday morning, May 12th. 62-year-old Mary Brown is accused of hitting a special needs student in the head.

The incident happened back in January, all caught on camera, and Brown was charged with disorderly conduct and battery. The footage shows Brown striking 18-year-old Peter Triggs, a student with special needs. On Friday, Triggs' family is happy to know the courts are still working on what they call an appropriate punishment.

Peter Triggs



Mary Brown in court



Behind the courtroom's doors, both the prosecutor and defense attorney asked the judge for more time, citing their need to sit down with the victim's family.

"That's fine. Oh yeah, I'm pleased," said Delmonica Young, Triggs' mother.

The victim's family believed a plea deal was to be made Friday but that didn't happen.

Mary Brown in court



Delmonica Young



"Obviously they were able to look at the video and decided what they thought was the appropriate consequences wasn't, so we're going back to court," said Young.

The Milwaukee Black Panthers who took up this cause say they'll be there.

 

King Rick



"She needs to be held accountable in all this and so does MPS, school board, principal and employees in the school. Everyone needs to be held accountable for this. We don't want our children to be harmed anymore. By any means necessary it's going to stop," said King Rick, Milwaukee Black Panthers.

Back in February, Brown told investigators she slapped the student in the forehead to get his attention. She faces $11,000 in fines and a maximum of one year behind bars.

"She doesn't have to do prison time. I just don't want her to work with anybody's children again, that's all," Young said.

Peter Triggs



A status hearing is scheduled for June 2nd at 1:30 p.m. The victim's mother and the Black Panthers plant to be there.