Auburn student Jason Stanley left Skybar the night of Jan. 25, 2007, after having an altercation with a bouncer.
Once outside in the alley next to the bar leading to his Glenn Avenue home, Stanley was jumped by the bouncer's friends who were hiding behind a dumpster.
"They continued to beat him after he was lying unconscious on the ground," said his mother Carol Stanley.
His attack left him with traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Now he and his mother are striving to make people aware of the severity that brain injury has on an individual.
A new bill being passed is making it so those--even minors--who inflict brain injury on another do not get away with it.
Jason's assault was declared second degree assault.
"[The perpetrators] were charged as adults," Stanley said. "But because they were 19-years-old at the time of the assault and had no criminal history, these young boys were able to fill out an application to be charged under the Juvenile Offender Act and the Judge granted the application."
Both boys were granted Youth Offender Status and the max penalty for any crime committed under the Juvenile Offender Act is three years probation, Stanley said.
"They got a slap on the wrist and Jason has long-term injury," Stanley said.
Because of the Stanley's advocating against TBI and second degree assaults, a bill is in the process of being passed stating that if there is a second degree assault caused by a minor that inflicts TBI on another, that culprit will be charged as an adult.
"Traumatic brain injury is caused by external forces," said Dr. Tom Novack, neuropsychologist at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center. "Loss of consciousness is a sign of it, or if the patient doesn't recall an event or they're confused."
Stanley suffers from hearing loss in his right ear due to a severed nerve, constant ringing in his ear, insomnia, migraine headaches, bouts of depression and mood swings.
He had metal staples put into the back of his head immediately after the attack, and soon after his mouth had to be wired shut due to a broken jaw. He also suffered from brain contusions.
Today, Stanley says he is just trying to enjoy his life. He says that he tries to not think about the incident and live his life to the fullest.
"[The assault] has hampered me a little bit but it's made me a better person," he said.
Stanley said his life is different after his assault. "It's just something I cope with," he said. "It's like when you lose a limb...you get used to it."
Carol Stanley's mission is to make people aware of safety issues and the severity of TBI.
"It's traumatizing," Stanley said. "No family should have to go through that. That particular alleyway, that's a very bad spot. It's connected to Skybar, and that area is very dark."
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