Abuser dad/family court judge seeks to regain custody of 10-year-old daughter (Rockport, Texas)

Appalled but not surprised. This is what abuser daddies like JUDGE WILLIAM ADAMS do. They beat the mom. They beat the kids. And they want to maintain total control over everybody's lives. Child custody battles are one way to do that. So are threats and harrassment. So is violence.

http://www.caller.com/news/2011/nov/03/hillary-adams-explains-timing-aransas-county-judge/

Hillary Adams explains timing of Aransas County Judge viral video
Judge 'dared' her to release it; ex-wife says judge seeks to regain custody of their 10-year-old daughter
By Mark Collette
Corpus Christi Caller Times
Posted November 3, 2011 at 8:16 a.m., updated November 3, 2011 at 8:17 a.m.

ROCKPORT — Hillary Adams told a national television audience Thursday morning that she and her mother suffered years of abuse at the hands of her father, an Aransas County judge whose beating of Hillary seven years ago was secretly recorded.

"It did happen regularly for a period of time, and I could tell because of the pattern that things were escalating again" in 2004, Hillary Adams told interviewer Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today."

So she covered the camera's red light with a scarf and waited. About 30 minutes later, the beating began, she said.

County Court-at-Law Judge William Adams has refrained from public statements since the video went viral Wednesday, except to say he was disciplining his daughter, then 16, for illegally downloading games and music to her computer, and that the video is "not as bad as it looks."

The video, initially uploaded by Hillary Adams Oct. 27, went viral on the Internet on Wednesday.

Hillary Adams, now 23, told Lauer she decided to share it after seven years because the abuse continued, she recently told her father about the video, and he brushed her off.

"It wasn't any huge happening or anything" that prompted her to post the video, she said. "I told him I had the video. He didn't seem to think anything of it, and basically dared me to post it."

But her mother, Hallie Adams, who took part in the belt-whipping in the nearly eight-minute video, acknowledged that its release comes as Judge Adams seeks to regain custody of their 10-year-old daughter. The couple divorced in 2007 after nearly 22 years of marriage.

Hallie Adams said her ex-husband brainwashed her, telling her what to do and say, and that her participation in the whipping was due to the control he had over her. She and her daughter have since reconciled.

A series of abusive and harassing texts and emails from Judge Adams continued recently, Hallie Adams said.

"I was cutting off talking to him. He's filed to take my younger daughter away from me."

Hallie Adams also revealed that the family has suffered from addiction and dysfunction though she didn't elaborate.

Police are investigating the video but have not filed charges against Judge Adams. Hillary and Hallie Adams have not said they want to file criminal charges, but say they hope the attention will prompt Judge Adams to seek professional help.

Meanwhile, the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct also launched an investigation.

County officials said visiting judges will handle Judge Adams' workload until further notice.