Handcuffed and Forced to Stand While 'Baby Shark' Repeatedly Played
Prosecutor: "The Crime Was Brutal and Inhumane... Caused Excessive Stress"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] In the United States, prison guards have been charged with forcing inmates to listen to the children's song "Baby Shark."
On the 6th (local time), The New York Times reported, citing the Oklahoma County District Court, that two former prison guards and a supervisor at an Oklahoma prison were charged with repeatedly making inmates listen to the children's song "Baby Shark" (inmate abuse and conspiracy to abuse).
According to the report, prison guards Christian Miles (21) and Gregory Butler (21) took five inmates to a visitation room between November and December last year, handcuffed them to the wall, made them stand, and played "Baby Shark" on repeat for two hours.
Former prison supervisor Christopher Hendershott (50) was charged for failing to properly supervise and discipline the guards.
According to the court, at least two of the affected inmates were found to have suffered from sleep disorders. It was also reported that the guards took inmates at 2 to 3 a.m. to listen to "Baby Shark."
The prosecutor stated that the guards deliberately imposed unfair punishment, saying, "The crime is cruel and inhumane. The inmates, who were already suffering from being handcuffed to the wall and made to stand, were subjected to excessive emotional stress."
The prosecutor added, "It is regrettable that we could not find a felony statute to apply to these crimes, so they were charged with misdemeanors." The two guards who committed the crimes resigned after an internal investigation began, and Warden Hendershott retired.
Meanwhile, "Baby Shark" was released on YouTube by Korea's SmartStudy two years ago and has gained worldwide popularity. The "Baby Shark" video has been viewed over 6.7 billion times to date.
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