Charges have been filed in Douglas County juvenile court against four boys accused of the recent beating of Josh Graves, a West Junior High School student with cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

Each of the following boys was charged Tuesday with one count of aggravated battery stemming from the May 21 beating at Clinton Park: Marcus Spates, Damian Dillon, Chris Fannin and Bradley Jamierson.

Douglas County Dist. Atty. Christine Kenney on the charges¢More stories on Josh Graves

Their names were posted today on Douglas County’s web site, www.douglas-county.com.

Josh was attacked on May 21 in Clinton Park on his way home from the public library, where he was making advertising fliers for his one-man yardwork business.

Police initially said there were six suspects in the beating, ages 11 to 14, but Josh’s mother said she believed only four of them struck her son while two stood by.

Douglas County District Attorney Christine Kenney said the boys are scheduled for detention hearings in juvenile court beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday before Judge Peggy Kittle.

“At that time, it will be determined whether they will be in custody or if they will be released on the equivalent of — if they were adults — bond,” Kenney said.

She said the worst that could happen to the boys would be commitment to a juvenile correction facility in Topeka.

But the judge has a lot of discretion, including probation, she said.

“The juvenile system is geared toward trying to address the situation of the offender, as opposed to the adults, where there is uniformity in sentencing,” she said.

For more on this story, return to this site later, watch the 6News report at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband’s Channel 6 and pick up a copy of Thursday’s Journal-World.