Sorry Sheriff Telb but those are not "kids"

I've been following the story on the three Lucas County corrections officers who were charged with aggravated burglary and felonious assault, yet when I read today's Blade in an article entitled, "Telb ducks blame in weekend fight", I had some thoughts.

First, of course we are not all perfect and even corrections officers are going to make mistakes at times. I don't think Sheriff Telb "ducking blame", but I do take issue with the impression the quotes give in the Blade that this is some type of youthful indescretion:

...was just some kids and whatever is going on in their personal lives, they let it get out control.

"If behavior patterns show that the individual doesn't fit, we need to get rid of them," the sheriff said. "But these kids had no records."


These are not children who are under the age of 18, they are not even under the age of 21 and given the fact that there were several of them involved in this, you'd think at least one of them would have demonstrated some common sense in saying "hey, this is a really stupid thing to do". While they of course have not been found guilty, the way the information is presented is rather troubling:

Police said the men fought with Mr. Rodriguez a short time after he arrived home to find Brian Wise at the house with Mr. Rodriguez's housemate, Kimberly Boswell, 28, who also is a sheriff's corrections officer.

After the argument with Mr. Rodriguez, who does not work for the county, Mr. Wise left the house and called his brother, Matthew, who was with Mr. Holzemer and brother Pat Holzemer. The three men met Brian Wise outside Mr. Rodriguez's West Toledo home, police said.

Pat Holzemer stayed in his vehicle while the others went inside, pulled Mr. Rodriguez from his bedroom, and beat him with their fists and feet, according to statements to police from Ms. Boswell and Mr. Rodriguez.

I'm sure more information will come out, but no matter what...these are not kids, they are grown men.