Dad charged with beating 10-year-old son, dragging him by the hair during visitation; dad asks judge if he has to pay child support while in jail (York, North Carolina)

If Dad was paying child support, then this beating must have taken place during court-ordered visitation. So who awarded this violent nitwit visitation? Was there previous evidence of abuse that the judge ignored? Pretty likely....These guys don't suddenly turn into @$$holes like this over night. 

Dad is identified LEMUEL WILLIAM BALLARD.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/10/05/4366722/york-father-charged-with-beating.html#.UlhuGdKUQ4w

York father charged with beating, dragging son by his hair

By Jonathan McFadden
Posted: Sunday, Oct. 06, 2013 YORK

A York carpenter who police say beat his son in the chest with a belt and dragged the boy across a room by his hair asked a judge on Saturday if he still had to pay child support while in jail. 

“That’s a question you’ll need to address with a different judge,” more specifically a family court judge, York County Magistrate Lewis Malphrus told him.

Malphrus then gave Lemuel William Ballard a $10,000 bond upon the condition that he is to have no contact with his 10-year-old son and alleged abuse victim.

Police on Friday charged Ballard, 36, with unlawful conduct toward a child after they say he used “corporal punishment” on his son, leaving the boy with bruises that turned blue on his back side, according to an arrest warrant.

The boy told officers that his father hit him with a belt, which left a mark across his chest, the warrant states. Later the same day, police say Ballard grabbed his son by his hair and dragged the boy across a room.

Police also arrested Ballard, who said in court that he’s a carpenter and father to three children, on two outstanding forgery warrants.

Malphrus told him he is not to have any contact with his, “even though he’s only 10.”