Harold Artice Ivy
WHITE CO., Ill. - As of this morning (Friday, July 6), there's been no official word out of White County as to what's going to be done with Harold Artice Ivy, the local punk accused of beating a man several weeks ago ...which beating has now lead to his death.
Toby Sanders, the man in question, was the victim of a brutal beating on the evening of Monday, June 18 as he was riding his bike in Carmi. Ivy, 18, is the one accused of the beating, which was reportedly filmed by another area teen, Leif Harper. Sanders is pictured below.
Toby Sanders, photo submitted by a Disclosure reader
Harper has not been charged with anything in connection with the alleged crime.
Ivy ran, and was later found in Indiana and brought back to White County, Illinois, to face charges. Currently, those are only Aggravated Battery Causing Great Bodily Harm, as Sanders remained on life support until this past Sunday, July 1. At that time, it was determined by family that they were going to pull the plug, as Sanders had showed no brain activity for several days and was considered "brain-dead," which, despite assertions to the contrary, isn't considered "dead"; only after all life support is terminated can a person be considered deceased.
Thus far, no additional charges over the ones Ivy currently faces have been filed. Under the circumstances, it's uncertain whether Ivy can be charged with any Class M felony (murder). This has upset a number of people in the past when the circumstances were similar - a person sustains a serious beating, but doesn't immediately die of his or her injuries, and a prosecutor can't under that circumstance file a murder charge. A possible charge would be a manslaughter count; but the more likely charge will be Aggravated Battery Causing Great Bodily Harm or Death, which is not Class M. It is Class X, though, which can carry a mandatory 20 years minimum and can go up to 60 years (think Glen Ramey). However, Denton Aud, White's prosecutor, knows what he's doing and will no doubt find a way to properly charge Ivy, who remains jailed at White County.
The Vanderburgh County, Indiana, coroner's office is in charge conducting the autopsy; it's not been noted whether that's occurred yet. But what the autopsy will find will likely predicate the charges. So be watching; if we get that in, we'll update it here, otherwise it'll be in a separate post. Be watching.