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Defense Seeks Dismissal of Ind. Fetal Murder Case
ABC News
Prosecutors argue that the 1997 fetal murder statute Bei Bei Shuai faces doesn't exempt women who intentionally end their own pregnancy, and that a suicide note Shuai wrote proves she meant for her fetus to die as well. Shuai, a Chinese immigrant from ...
Woman who ate rat poison while pregnant charged with murderNBCNews.com (blog)
Judge Is Asked to Keep Murder Trial Free of SympathyNewser

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In honor of International Women's Day, the Innocence Blog reviews a new book by Audrey Edmunds about her wrongful conviction, It Happened to Audrey: A Terrifying Journey from Loving Mom to Accused Baby Killer
, which was co-written by Jill Wellington.

Women, often the primary caregivers of both the young and old, are especially vulnerable to false accusations of abuse. A common pattern in women's wrongful conviction cases begins with the accidental death of a child or family member and ends with a murder conviction.

For Audrey Edmunds, such an accusation cost her 11 years of her life in prison-for which she may never be compensated-the chance to raise her three daughters, her marriage, and her livelihood as a family care provider to young children. Her nightmare began when seven-month-old Natalie Beard inexplicably fell unconscious one morning while in her care, making Edmunds the victim of a cultural phenomenon-a rash of "shaken baby syndrome" convictions. It Happened to Audrey, which Edmunds started writing while she was still behind bars, is the first account of its kind to convey the personal struggle and loss of an "accused baby killer."

She writes: These feelings were deep and impossible for another person to understand, yet I clung to the hope that someone would grasp how shocked and horrified I was with the entire situation-because I was innocent!

The terminology that medical experts have used to describe the force of the shaking-similar to a fall from a three-story building or the impact of a car crash-has helped to enable guilty verdicts in these cases with almost no corroborating evidence. Edmunds had dozens of supporters who testified to her loving care of children; she had no history of violence and no criminal history, yet she was convicted and sentenced to serve 18 years in prison.

Natalie, though she had no external injuries and no bone fractures, was deemed "shaken" because she had the classic triage of symptoms: subdural hematoma, retinal hemorrhage and cerebral edema. Medical experts are now converging around a more holistic approach to diagnosing shaken baby syndrome that includes a closer examination of the child's medical history and other factors.

Edmunds was finally exonerated in 2008, one of a wave of similar convictions that are being overturned due to growing doubts within the medical community about the over-diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. She is one of 72 women who have been exonerated nationwide since 1989 after years or decades of wrongful imprisonment.

Today, she lives in Wisconsin near her three daughters, is recently remarried, and has become a strong advocate for criminal justice reform. Her book, It Happened to Audrey, drives home the point that no one is safe from injustice and provides a heartbreaking glimpse into the experience of wrongful imprisonment for a woman and a mother.

For a list of other books about wrongful conviction, see our reading list.

Purchase a copy of the book.

UNNAMED DAD

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/10277378.Father_jailed_for_child_sex_abuse/

Father jailed for 18 years for Edmonton child sex abuse

1:08pm Friday 8th March 2013

in News By Hermione Wright.

The man was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court today A father found guilty of sexually abusing his daughter and raping his stepdaughter has been jailed for 18 years today.

His victims watched as the Enfield man - who cannot be named - was led silently from the dock in Wood Green Crown Court.

The sexual predator was found guilty last month of nine counts of sexual abuse and rape against the girls in the 1980s – who were both under 13 at the time.

The man – who has since remarried - sexually assaulted his stepdaughter when his younger daughter was watching television in the same room.

When his stepdaughter left home to escape his clutches, he started sexually abusing his daughter in their Edmonton home.

His daughter became emotional and left the court as she heard Judge Rosa Dean decide her father's fate.

The convicted rapist's mother-in-law, who cannot be named to protect the victims’ anonymity, told the Enfield Independent she was pleased justice has been done but said she wishes he had been sentenced for longer.

The jury was unanimous in finding the man guilty of all counts last month following his week-long trial at the court.

He was remanded in custody to give the victims a chance to attend his sentencing, and was told by the judge to expect a “very lengthy” prison term.

AUGUSTA, Maine — A town of 140 people in western Maine is considering an ordinance making gun ownership mandatory, the latest of a handful of... AP http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicholas-wing/

Dad SIMON HATHAWAY gets just 6 1/2 years in prison for brutally killing a newborn....

http://www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/west-london-news/local-uxbridge-news/2013/03/08/father-jailed-for-manslaughter-of-baby-son-113046-32950847/

Father jailed for manslaughter of five-week-old son

Mar 8 2013

By Jack Griffith

A DAD convicted of the manslaughter of his baby son has been jailed for six and a half years.

Simon Hathaway, 32, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for killing his five-week-old son, Jordan, after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter following a three-week trial at Reading Crown Court which finished yesterday (Thursday).

His wife, Anne, was acquitted of wilful neglect of a child.

The couple were living in Colnbrook, Slough, at the time of the death, but had since moved to Hayes.

Jordan was rushed to Wexham Park Hospital hospital on the morning of February 22 2011 in an unconscious state, but doctors couldn't resuscitate him.

He was found to have injuries caused by being violently shaken and being thrown onto a soft surface, as well as fractures to his leg, arm and ankle.

At the conclusion of the trial, presiding High Court judge Mr Justice Simon thanked the jury for their close attention during what was emotive and detailed testimony.

Detective Sergeant David Honeyball of Thames Valley Police said after the ruling: "Throughout this protracted and complex investigation, our focus has always been on gaining justice for Jordan, who suffered horrific and ultimately fatal injuries at the hands of his father."

As usual, we're not told how dad DAVID M. WIESECKEL got custody or who gave it to him. Nor are we told what happened to this boy's mother. Though you have to wonder when the evidence suggests that Daddy's behavior falls within the realm of torture....

http://www.khou.com/news/local/Father-stepmother-indicted-in-boy-in-box-case--196311001.html

Father, stepmother indicted in boy-in-box case

by Chris Paschenko/ The Daily News khou.com

Posted on March 8, 2013 at 10:11 AM Updated today at 12:34 PM

GALVESTON — A grand jury has indicted a married couple accused last year of keeping their child locked in a wooden box, authorities said Thursday.

David M. Wieseckel, 42, and Linda S. Schwan, 48, both of Galveston were indicted on charges of injury to a child and unlawful restraint of a child, according to a statement from the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office released Thursday afternoon.

“The injury to a child indictments allege that David Wieseckel choked the child with his hands and that both David and Linda injured him by making him do push-ups,” prosecutor Adam Poole said.

Wieseckel is the boy’s biological father, and Schwan is the boy’s stepmother, Poole said. The boy remains in foster care, said Gwen Carter, a spokeswoman for state Child Protective Services.

Galveston police became involved in the investigation when the boy went missing July 22. Police found him after a three-hour search.

Although police named the boy in an initial statement when he went missing, police later looked for evidence of the possession or promotion of child pornography.

The Daily News doesn’t publish the names of those who might be victims of sex crimes.

The couple has not been charged with sex crimes. An indictment is not a guilty verdict. It means a grand jury heard enough evidence to send the case to trial.

Notice that Mom is getting 30 years for not "stopping" the abuse--which is more time than many daddies get who actually murder their kids.

The rapist daddy is identified as JAMES BEAUDRIE.

http://urbandale.patch.com/articles/abused-daughter-says-father-made-me-feel-like-a-waste-of-life

Abused Daughter Says Father 'Made Me Feel Like a Waste of Life'

James Beaudrie sexually abused three of his daughters, according to court records. He once operated the Gamesip store at Merle Hay Mall, and the family at times lived in the back of the store.

By Deb Belt

James Beaudrie, 37, the man convicted of sexually abusing three of his daughters while the family at times lived in the back of a Merle Hay Mall game store, heard from two of the girls at Friday's sentencing about the pain he inflicted.

The first daughter said she "hated the way we lived," KCCI.com reports. She spoke directly to Beaudrie, saying that "even though you knew it hurt us, you continued to hurt us."

Police said the family shuttled between living at the GameSip store at Merle Hay Mall and motels in the area.

The second daughter said it "made me feel like a waste of life."

In court Friday, Beaudrie apologized for the family being broken apart and his children and wife going through pain, KCCI said.

Beaudrie was sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison with a mandatory minimum serving time of 70 percent of the sentence before eligible for parole.

He also must register for the sex offender registry. He was originally charged with nine counts of first-degree sexual abuse and two counts of child endangerment. In a plea deal reached late last year Beaudrie pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree sexual abuse.

Beaudrie was told to have no contact with all of his children until March 8, 2018, and at that time it can be extended.

Beaudrie’s wife, Kijua, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for child neglect. Prosecutors say she knew about the abuse but did not stop it.

Kijua Beaudrie, 35, pleaded guilty in September 2012 to three counts of neglecting a dependent person.

According to the Des Moines Register, Polk County prosecutor Frank Severino said Kijua Beaudrie “not only knew that the sexual abuse was going on … but at times actually allowed it to continue” by taking other children and placing them in a different room.

Several of the Beaudries’ nine children reportedly wrote letters asking that their mother not be sent to prison.

The FBI has released the files of its 14-month investigation into the fans of the rap group Insane Clown Posse. The group of fans, known... The Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hunter-stuart/

An unusual murder case in Indiana has prompted an unusual request from prosecutors: They want the judge to bar spectators in the courtroom from wearing buttons that express support or sympathy for accused killer Bei Bei Shuai, reports AP . They also want the defense to refrain from asking questions of...

CLEVELAND (AP) — Akron's special season has hit a stunning snag. Zips starting point guard Alex Abreu pleaded not guilty to trafficking and possession of... AP http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-greenberg/

ANOKA, Minn. -- A man wanted in a string of attacks last year against women in Georgia was charged Friday with killing a young woman... AP http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-moye/

Sometimes the f***king entitlement these rapist/child porn monsters display--it just takes your breath away.

This guy has the freaking NERVE to want to "reconnect" with the daughter he raped and impregnated and pimped, AND he want a "good lawyer" to sue the county and the judge that put him in prison.

I'm speechless.

This worthless piece of sh** of a father is identified as ALTON E. SMITH.

http://crime.blogs.news-journalonline.com/10340/father-with-sordid-past-wants-help-finding-daughter/

Father with sordid past wants help finding daughter

Friday, March 8, 2013 at 1:13 by Frank Fernandez

A letter from a father to the newsroom asking for help in contacting his daughter comes with a dark twist.

That’s because this wasn’t your typical father and this wasn’t your typical father-daughter relationship.

The writer was Alton E. Smith, who lived in Palm Coast before his arrest and subsequent guilty pleas in 2010 to two counts of incest, one count of living off the earnings of prostitution and 52 counts of possession of child pornography. As part of the plea agreement, Smith also pleaded guilty in Volusia County to another charge of incest and lewd and lascivious exhibition in the presence of a minor younger than 16.

Smith fathered his daughter’s son.

Now-retired Circuit Judge Kim C. Hammond sentenced Smith to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years sex offender probation. And once Smith is released from prison he must register as a sex offender.

The sordid situation came to light after a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detective in 2008 knocked on the door of a house on Carlos Court pretending to answer a Craigslist ad for an escort. Besides having sex with her, Alton Smith was pimping his daughter.

Now, Alton Smith wants to reconnect with his daughter. He also wants a lawyer because , a good one he says, because he wants to sue Flagler County and the judge.

He claims to be dying from the ravages of hepatitis. His biological decay perhaps matching his morality. He said that at 50 he is t0o young too die. He said what went on between him and his daughter was their bond.

“So please Dont Judge us for what happen. This goes on more then people want to know. We new a lot of people who are doing what we were Doing you will never know unless your one of us! We All Have The same Feelings That people wish They had our love Was True Love!”

FOX43.com
York Co. forensic lab, real life crime scene investigations
FOX43.com
We have all seen the crime shows that follow officers as they investigate crime scenes using the latest forensic tools. “If you think your suspect entered through the front door and perhaps entered through the kitchen you can actually take that and do ...

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Cara Rintala murder trial jury recesses without verdict after first full day ...
MassLive.com
Rintala, 47, faces a charge of first degree murder in the strangulation of her wife, Annamarie Cochrane Rintala, 37. The case is the first in the history of Massachusetts in which a woman is charged with murdering her lawfully wedded wife. The couple ...

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The father of eight died this week at age 53. But the Florida man's forehead tattoo will live forever.

read more

The father of eight died this week at age 53. But the Florida man's forehead tattoo will live forever.

read more

More killer daddy coddling at its finest.

Dad is identified as SHAKEEL HUSSAIN.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-21719752

8 March 2013 Last updated at 13:46 ET

Baby death father gets suspended jail sentence

Six-week-old Mohammed Ismail died at Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital

The father of a six-week-old baby who died from a head injury has received a suspended jail sentence.

Mohammed Ismail Malik died in hospital last January after paramedics were called to his family home in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Shakeel Hussain, 25, of Balcary Grove, admitted unlawfully killing his son to Manchester Crown Court in January.

A charge against wife Rabeel Malik, 23, of causing or allowing the death of a child was previously dismissed.

Hussain, who had denied murder, received a 16 months sentence suspended for two years and was also given an 18 months supervision order.

CNPP warns against immunity for lawmakers
Premium Times
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has said that the move by the House of Representatives to grant immunity to lawmakers in Nigeria could legalize corruption and threaten the country's existence. A bill seeking to grant Nigerian ...

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LA County Assessor John Noguez makes bail in corruption case
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez, who has been in jail since his October arrest on two dozen corruption charges, finally made bail Friday. Noguez is accused of taking $185,000 in bribes from Ramin Salari, a prominent property-tax consultant and ...

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We've reported on this case before.

http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/2010/03/dad-charged-with-raping-five-daughters.html

Kiri Blakely is correct in that grossly abusive fathers are under reported in the media, while the random abusive mother is sensationalized with national 24/7 attention. However, she does not report that the mother (and the daughters) were moved from house to house frequently, beaten regularly, deprived of food, and threatened with death if they went to the authorities. So it's a little tougher to be judgemental than she lets on.

The rapist dad is identified as ASWAD AYINDE.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/152318/dad_had_babies_with_his

Dad Had Babies With His 3 Daughters to Keep His Bloodline 'Pure'

by Kiri Blakeley 45 minutes ago

One of the sickest trials of the year, perhaps of all time, is going on in New Jersey right now. And no one is really paying any attention to it. Certainly not like the attention Jodi Arias is getting. A man named Aswad Ayinde, a video music director who won an award for directing The Fugees' big hit "Killing Me Softly," has been on trial for two years for running a house of horrors where he repeatedly raped his daughters, and had babies with three of them. He apparently did all of this because he thought the world was going to end -- and all that would be left would be him and his "pure" offspring. That excuse ain't gonna fly, sicko.

Ayinde had six daughters and has been accused of repeatedly raping five of them. DNA tests proved he had children with three daughters. One of them had four of his children. Ayinde has already been sentenced to 40 years for raping another daughter with whom he had a child. Ayinde was apparently getting his daughters pregnant -- and delivering the babies himself at home -- in an effort to preserve his "pure bloodline."

He's now on trial for raping the daughter he has four children with. And incredibly, this might be the one he doesn't serve any time for, because incest with a person over 18 isn't illegal in the state of New Jersey (!!), and it's difficult to prove exactly when Ayinde fathered the four children with his daughter, since the children didn't get birth certificates until years after they were born.

The daughter claims she gave birth to her father's first child at age 13. Since Ayinde has already been convicted of the same crime with another daughter, whom he impregnated at 15 and began having sex with at 8 years old, I believe her. Why would he wait until one daughter was of legal age? Please!

Ayinde's defense attorney says that the entire family agreed to this "lifestyle choice" and that "there were no guns to" the daughters' heads. What an idiotic thing to say. The children were brainwashed and never knew any different than what they were handed from the day they were born.

But you have to wonder about their mother, Beverly. She went with her children to the police in 2006 and has testified at the trials -- but WHY did she let it continue for so long?! However, considering that she called her husband "my God" and stayed with him after he told her the "spirits" were telling him to have sex with their 8-year-old daughter, well ... can't expect too much from this woman. But I don't know why she's not on trial too.

Can you believe this?!