Monumental Court Ruling

KNOXVILLE, TN (AP)-A seven-year-old boy was at the center of a Knoxville, Tennessee, courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him.The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt in keeping with child custody laws and regulations requiring that family unity be maintained to the degree possible.The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried out that they also beat him. After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently away of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.
After two recesses to check legal references andconfer with child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to Phillip Fulmer of the University of Tennessee football team, whom the boy firmly believes is not capable of beating anyone.

Courtesy of Ericson