Did 'Jackass' show inspire brutal attack?

NEWPORT, Ore. - Three young men accused of beating, sodomizing and setting their passed-out friend on fire earlier this month may have been inspired by the MTV show "Jackass," according to their friends.

The news came as the trio, 18-year-old Christopher William Sparks, 19-year-old Cody Christopher Rector and 20-year-old Robert Abenecu Bernal, was arraigned in a Lincoln County courtroom Monday.

They are accused of assault, sodomy, rape, harassment and reckless endangering and were all being held on $300,000 bail.

According to friends, the four had all been partying at a Waldport home the night of the March 1 attack.

When the 17-year-old victim passed out from drinking, the three suspects allegedly beat and sexually assaulted him and lit him on fire with butane, friends said.

Friend Brittany Palluck said the three were inspired by the MTV show, where a group of guys do outrageous stunts and pull pranks on one another.

"I knew all three of them really well, and I never thought they'd do this," she said. "(The victim) is a really good kid. He means a lot to a lot of people."

Friends said the victim was constantly being teased by the suspects, who would act like his friend and then be mean to him, calling him derogatory names.

But the victim really wanted to be liked and put up with the cycle of teasing, friends said.

The victim has been released from the hospital but will need reconstructive surgery, not only on his face but on his body, friends said.