Beating death of WWII veteran highlights criminal institutionalization

By Marc Castro

Aug 24, 2013 01:40 PM EDT

Spokane, Washington police authorities have arrested a male juvenile last Wednesday because of the man's complicity in the murder of a WWII veteran outside an Eagles Ice-A-Rena, according to CBS affiliate KREM. The young male was charged with first degree murder and first degree robbery.

According to police reports, two teenage boys were identified as suspects in the death of Delbert Belton. Belton was beaten to death by two teenagers and the incident was captured on surveillance video. Belton, a World War II veteran, was shot in the leg during the Pacific theater of war, specifically in the Battle of Okinawa.

One of the witnesses, the daughter in law of the victim, said that Belton was beaten with 'big heavy flashlights' resulting in bleeding from lacerations on hi face, Bobbie Belton added, "The way he died, you expect older people to die. But not that way. They shouldn't have beaten him up. That was a bad thing. You don't do those kind of things."

Should the case prosper, the two teens would be institutionalized for the murder of the senior citizens. In the state of Washington, the cost of penal institutions has been skyrocketing. In a government study in Yakima County in Washington, jail revenues in 2010 reached nearly USD35 million while in 2013 the earnings were at USD22 million. 

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