Polk teen bailed out by 'Dr. Phil' crew member

By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
In print: Monday, April 14, 2008

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By late Sunday, just one of the eight teenagers charged in the videotaped beating of another teen remained behind bars.

Brittany Mayes was released from the Polk County Jail on Sunday afternoon on $33,000 bail, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Six others — Kayla Hassell, Brittini Hardcastle, Cara Murphy, April Cooper, Zachary Ashley and Mercades Nichols — were bailed out Friday night.

Staff members of television psychologist "Dr. Phil" McGraw paid for Nichols' release.

In an e-mail, Louis DiCenzo, a spokesman for McGraw, said it was not unusual for the show to help potential guests pay for transportation, lodging and other expenses incurred to appear on the show.

But staffers were not authorized to bail out Nichols, DiCenzo said:

"In this case, certain staff members went beyond our guidelines (re the bail being paid). These staff members have been spoken to and our policies reiterated. In addition, we have decided not to go forward with the story as our guidelines have been compromised."

On Sunday evening, Stephen Schumaker was the last of the eight to remain in jail.

The teenagers, who range in age from 14 to 18, are facing kidnapping and misdemeanor battery charges for the March 30 assault against 16-year-old Victoria Lindsay.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office has said the girls were upset with Lindsay about comments she made on the Internet.

Lindsay, of Lakeland, suffered a concussion, bruises and temporary hearing and vision loss from the attack.