Scumbags caught

[Sly]

whatever

Whatever? If they've been charged as many times as you say, *** are these guys doing out of jail? It sounds like they shouldn't have been on the streets to begin with.

Y'all can bitch and moan at the Brothers Gumm and it's not going to make a difference. Start screaming at the DA and the judge and it may.

[Lone Wolf]

Whatever? If they've been charged as many times as you say, *** are these guys doing out of jail? It sounds like they shouldn't have been on the streets to begin with.

whatever. quit trolling

[TOW]

We are not attending the trial. We are both currently working and attending school full time. We do not have time for this. It is unfortunate that it happened to us. However, we have moved on. Gotten over it. I realize that this is a "blow" to the trail community, but think of it from our stand point. We didn't realize that it was planned out. Even if it was, big whoop. I'm willing to bet that it was some local punks who were bored of their small town life, and thought they would do something fun for a night. I doubt there is any "deep-hatred" for hikers or any of that nonsense. Just some punks fooling around.

Do I think they need punishing? Yes. But not from the prison system. That will do them no good. I've had time to think on all of this, and I've come to a realization. If we do go down and testify, we will ruin the rest of their lives. They did not ruin mine, what right do I have to ruin theirs? To quote Forrest Gump, "That's all I got to say about that"

Red Hat has the right idea. We just want this thing to go away. All of you can see this clearly from your own point of view, that of a hiker. But what about the point of view of a teenage punk in small town America? To quote a man I admire, but don't quite believe in, turn the other cheek.


Happy Hiking all!

well said and understood.........

[the goat]

like i said, they don't care about it anymore and have moved on, if the brothers don't give a **** about it anymore, why should anyone else?

it's a pretty monumental inconvenience for them to make that trip, given their situation, to aid in the prosecution of some sucker-punches landed months ago.

if they're willing to let it go, i'm pretty sure we can all let it go too.

[TOW]

you have the right to do what ever you want, and i can understand that you don't have the time or just want to move on...BUT, your assumptions about these people, about your role in this, and what type of punishment they deserve is off base...

read the new articles, these are NOT FIRST TIME OFFENDERS! this isn't some kids just bored with life...2 of them are CRIMINALS and the other hangs around CRIMINALS and video tapes their crimes...many people in DAMASCUS are praying that Randy Ray Blevins goes to jail for a long time, he has been committing crimes of various nature for a long time around here...

you have no idea what the local community thinks of THRU HIKERS, and to assume you have any idea what these 3 think is asinine...THEY DON'T LIKE HIKERS! the fact that this was planned out IS a big deal, i don't understand why you don't see that...these 3 made choices and need to be punished...again, this is not their first acts of crime...did you know that when they were busted, they found cash, drugs, stolen property and random prescription drugs? this isn't a small time thing!

Damascus is a great community to live in, but don't think for a second that everyone is excited when thru hikers start coming around or when trail days is here...it's the local hikers, most businesses and a few people from abroad that make this town what it is for the hiking community...you are assuming a lot about a place you have no idea about...

feel free to turn a cheek on this one, but I would not be surprised if someone else's cheek, wallet or personal property is abused because of these 3...

UGH! i woulda been a lot better off hearing that you didn't have the time or the resources to get down here, but your other nonsensical rhetoric and stupid movie quotes makes me so MAD! this is a REAL crime that needs to be addressed...i'm sorry that i'm not in your position, so yeah, it's easy for me to talk from way over here...but these boys need to be punished, BY THE SYSTEM, and your lack of fully grasping the situation as it is now, is unfortunate...

i hope you guys are now doing well and have fully moved on from this incident though...damascus isn't just these boneheads!

well said and understood! and me thinks you ought to listen to serial........

[max patch]

On the tape that was found the brothers were "begging for their lives" according to published reports.

They quit their hike and went home.

This is more than just a couple of "sucker punches".

The State determines if the case goes forward. Lets hope it does.

[TOW]

Thank you The Chop. You actually see what I am saying. If this ******* ray ray has commited other crimes before, and has a record, then WHY ISNT HE IN JAIL ALREADY?

All of these comments looking down on me and my brother completey ruin my picture of the hiking community. What happened to Hike your own Hike?

You're blaming me for what happens in the future? Yes, it is me that makes the decision not to act on sending them to prison because I don't believe that prison will help them in the least. Why can't you respect my opinion and leave it at that? It will not be my fault if someone does get hurt in the future. I forgave them for what happened. It seems that not everyone can however, and that makes me upset.

A subpoena will only serve to make us both angry. As for having the SYSTEM take care of them and being a good American? I went to the trail to get out of the American lifestyle. I am not a fan of America or its system. I do not think that it works.

So whiteblaze, insult and attempt to bully me all you want. It it futile and upsets me that hikers will sink so low. I am trying to be the bigger man here by not retaliating, but I guess that train of thought has never caught on, now has it?

http://www.youcanwinmovie.com/

[Old Hiker]

"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

This says it all. Except..... "good men" do nothing.

If you don't like America and her system, why are you still here, going to school, etc.? Why did you involve her system after the "3-4" punches if it's so bad? I agree with Lone Wolf: pathetic.

If it wasn't such a big deal at the time, why did you involve law enforcement to begin with? I wouldn't mind seeing Damascus charge you for what they have incurred to date. Why didn't you tell them at the time that you forgave them instead of "begging for your lives"?

[CaseyB]

This says it all. Except..... "good men" do nothing.


If it wasn't such a big deal at the time, why did you involve law enforcement to begin with? I wouldn't mind seeing Damascus charge you for what they have incurred to date. Why didn't you tell them at the time that you forgave them instead of "begging for your lives"?

Police started this investigation after the video was found on a phone during an unrelated investigation. They came looking for the brothers

[Hobbler]

To The Brothers Gumm:

I too am of the 50-something generation and also feel that It would be my responsibility to jump in and do something to aid in the welfare of any hiker or anyone for that matter that is receiving pain and unjust treatment.

I have to agree here that is is your choice to go to court, and ultimately your decision to feel when time has healed your wounds from the "attack" on your bodies and in your hearts. Yes, to attend court will require not only your time but the emotional scars to be opened again and that is, probably a factor in your decision.

The actions of these 3 were however pre-meditated, put to video, and need strong punishment and to look at it from any other angle is very remiss of the severity of their intent. What if just one of those 3or4 punches they landed put your eye out or did some other permanent damage to the two of you. Would you be so forgiving? The possibility of it happening to another hiker, or other citizen down the road might be strong. It has been said “past behavior is a good indicator of future behavior” I don't see anything in a mild sentence, if that is what is given them, that will change the course in life that they were persueing. It might just make them more emboldened and feeling no real sting from the pain of a light sentence or no sentence at all.

You do have the right to make a choice but the wasted good efforts of local, and state law enforcement, not forgetting the court system will go down the toilet. Yes, they may yet receive some convictions from the other charges against them and they might not have been caught for the“crime”against you both unless the local LEOs found the video on those unrelated charges. Yes, it is a crime and assault, especially of the nature they perpetrated on you two is at a much higher level than just robbery, drug possession and the like.

I wish you two only the best and really understand your reluctance to testify and that you might not even have a certain and positive identification of the perps due to the suddenness and surprise of the “attack”. Please remember that every action has a reaction, and in this case, inaction will also have a reaction. I don't want to encourage vindictiveness... merely justice that you two and all of society deserve along with prevention of their predatory actions for the future.
Given their freedom, they will strike somewhere, on someone, at sometime, again! You are the victims...This time!

I am on your side though no matter what you two decide to do about testifying...Yes, it is a free country and part of that is being forgiving and understanding to your fellow man. If you are OK with it so be it! The trail is going nowhere and will continue to be hiked. All this might be to the positive though. A renewed awareness of safety issues while on the trail has I hope been brought out in the forefront to be discussed and while we might want the perps to be held accountable, we don't always get what we want.

Good Luck Brothers Gumm

[Slimer]

Just shut this thread down already. Its obvious nothing good will come of it.

Its sad to see the attacked getting attacked again, only this time its from the warm and friendly "hiking community"
This kind of crap is why I rarely ever visit whiteblaze anymore.

[Old Hiker]

Police started this investigation after the video was found on a phone during an unrelated investigation. They came looking for the brothers

My apologies - this seems to be true. However, at the time they were contacted they could have said, "No, thanks."

Still, the evil will continue until someone takes a stand against it. It will escalate until even our system will not be able to ignore it or only wrist slap it.

[traildust]

Brothers Grimm,

Understand your position. Thanks for taking the time to share what's happening and where you stand.

Sorry that some on this forum want to be overly opinionated and harsh in their responses. But that is Whiteblaze.

The Churchill quote was good except he was talking about Hitler and I don't think these young men come anywhere near what the Nazi's did. These are some trouble young men and the system will get them sooner or later. Somewhere, way before this event, these young men go off course and may never return to civilized behavior. It is unfortunate that a great little town like Damascus will carry this for a few years when there so many other great folks there who do a lot for hikers. But this to will pass.

Hope you will someday come back to the A.T. and give it another go.

[jesse]

Just shut this thread down already. Its obvious nothing good will come of it.

Its sad to see the attacked getting attacked again, only this time its from the warm and friendly "hiking community"
This kind of crap is why I rarely ever visit whiteblaze anymore.

Yet you read thru 178 post.

[Pedaling Fool]

Brothers Grimm,

Understand your position. Thanks for taking the time to share what's happening and where you stand.

Sorry that some on this forum want to be overly opinionated and harsh in their responses. But that is Whiteblaze.

The Churchill quote was good except he was talking about Hitler and I don't think these young men come anywhere near what the Nazi's did. These are some trouble young men and the system will get them sooner or later. Somewhere, way before this event, these young men go off course and may never return to civilized behavior. It is unfortunate that a great little town like Damascus will carry this for a few years when there so many other great folks there who do a lot for hikers. But this to will pass.

Hope you will someday come back to the A.T. and give it another go.

These guys are no Hitler, that's true, but where should we draw the line?

This just wasn't just a simple prank of some young juveniles, but whatever, it is what it is. The only thing really left to do is keep an eye on these guys, because they're not done....

As for the comment about America being crappy or whatever, that does say it all. I just love to hear naive comments coming from people who have no clue just how good they have it.

[Serial 07]

We didn't realize that it was planned out. Even if it was, big whoop.
this was premeditated and done for fun...it is a big deal...

I'm willing to bet that it was some local punks who were bored of their small town life, and thought they would do something fun for a night. I doubt there is any "deep-hatred" for hikers or any of that nonsense. Just some punks fooling around.
this is a crazy assumption...

Do I think they need punishing? Yes. But not from the prison system.
so you'd rather see vigilante justice...awesome...let's go fight people who like to fight for fun...

we will ruin the rest of their lives. They did not ruin mine, what right do I have to ruin theirs?
they made their own decisions...jumping unsuspecting hikers with premeditation needs to be punished...

All of you can see this clearly from your own point of view, that of a hiker. But what about the point of view of a teenage punk in small town America?
what does this even mean? my perspective is that of not only a hiker, but a resident of Damascus...

so, if i think about this from Ray Ray's perspective, someone I'VE met, he's probably thinking how stupid the courts are and how he seemingly can get away with this crime...it seems to me that this will only encourage him to continue on his path, not veer him off of it...

I seriously doubt some kids who suckerpunched us one night will be evolving that to killing and murder.
i'm pretty sure a previous history of violence can be found for many to most convicted killers...another assumption made by you...

What happened to Hike your own Hike?
a totally irrelevant phrase to use here...this issue, unfortunately, is bigger than just YOU...

I forgave them for what happened. It seems that not everyone can however, and that makes me upset.
other people (the town of Damascus gets the majority of it's revenue from tourists) are effected by this...it's big of you to forgive them, that's totally true...however, you can still forgive them AND help protect a small town and the hiker community...

with all that said, gumm bros, i have no hard feelings toward you and i respect your personal decision not to come back here for court...but, you shouldn't make so many assumptions...the courts, for whatever reason, have had a hard time pinning these people down and this is just another (seemingly) failed attempt to do so...you are not responsible for the town, it's residence or other hikers, BUT you do have an opportunity to make all three safer...

good luck with everything and i hope that one day you get the chance to come back out here and do the AT...

[thebrothersgumm]

We did not persue law enforcement. They contacted us and we did say no. They continued to press us.