STARVED CHILD - SENTENCING

Associated Press - direct feed | August 9, 2002 | Devlin Barrett

[NYer]

NEW YORK (AP) _ A Manhattan man convicted of starving his 4-year-old daughter to death was given the maximum prison sentence _ even as he continued to insist, ``I'm not a monster.''

Leroy Dickerson, 42, was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Nadine Lockwood, who was just 15 pounds, about the weight of a 6-month-old child, when she was found dead under a heap of filthy clothes on Aug. 31, 1996. A judge on Thursday ordered Dickerson to serve 25 years to life in prison. Dickerson had claimed at trial that he was an absentee father unaware that his wife was starving their daughter. The child's mother, Carla Lockwood, 39, pleaded guilty in the case in 1997 and was sentenced to 15 years to life.

``From the moment Nadine Lockwood was born, she never stood a chance,'' Assistant District Attorney Susan Broderick said in Manhattan Supreme Court. ``She was never loved. It's almost unimaginable the pain she went through.''

Dickerson, who was convicted last month after less than an hour of jury deliberations, repeatedly interrupted Broderick as she asked the judge to show no mercy. ``Why don't you just cut it out?'' Dickerson interjected. ``I'm no murderer. I'm not a monster.'' Prosecutors said that when the child cried, Dickerson told her, ``I'll give you something to cry about,'' then put her in a plastic bag and swung her around _ sometimes throwing her against the ceiling. Justice Michael Obus said the child's death was ``so horrific ... it is in a realm almost of its own.'' The judge agreed Dickerson was no monster, but he called him ``a very flawed person'' who had shown ``no hint of acceptance of responsibility'' for the little girl's death.

AP-ES-08-08-02 1922EDT

[NYer]

For anyone who might have wondered about this case, here is the verdict.

[Rodney King]

Why the judge is not allowed to tell the bailiff to take him out back and shoot him I have no idea.

[ContentiousObjector]

I wonder if the pro-child abuse freepers are going to show up and defend these low lifes?

Many of you would be shocked to learn there are people on free republic who believe parental rights extended to child abuse and Biblical Levitican Punishment (beat your kids to death for lipping you off)

[2banana]

I'm not a monster

He is right - He is a human who chose to do evil and now must pay for that choice. A monster has no choice in the matter.

[camle]

sure he's no monster

and Nixon wasn't a crook

and Clinton did not have sex with that woman.

[realwoman]

IF it happened as prosecuters say, then he is a monster. However, it is a FACT that men rarely receive custody and is very common for mothers to cut fathers out of their childrens' lives. It is a FACT that most child abuse is at the hands of mothers and their new "men". This man claimed to be an absent father and didn't know his wife was abusing his daughter. Well, this happens every day in this country, so it IS believable. It is also a FACT that, when it comes to the death of children, the prosecutors, the media, and the general public ALL look for a MAN to blame.

Did anyone see the trial? I would have to see a transcript or something before I jump on this particular bandwagon.

[NYer]

I would have to see a transcript or something before I jump on this particular bandwagon.

Perhaps you missed this line in the report.

Prosecutors said that when the child cried, Dickerson told her, ``I'll give you something to cry about,'' then put her in a plastic bag and swung her around _ sometimes throwing her against the ceiling.

He did not contest this. Satisfied, or do you need more evidence?

[pubmom]

Hmmm.... He sounds like a monster to me.
Flawed person?

[SarahW]

A google search led me to this account:

Nadine Lockwood

Four year old Nadine Lockwood spent most of her short life on a foam rubber mattress in a rickety crib that was shoved in the corner of a tiny, dark bedroom.
Many neighbors knew the family's other children, they did not even know Nadine existed-until after she died, apparently starved to death, her arms and legs as thin as sticks.
The mother told the authorities she had not fed Nadine regularly for a year and did not seek medical help even when she realized the girl was dying.
According to prosecutors, Carla Lockwood took care of the other six children in her custody but withheld food and medical care because she didn't want or love Nadine.
Lockwood, 32, was arraigned on charges of second-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child. She was ordered held without bail pending a court appearance.
Trash littered the dank three bedroom apartment, spoiled food and empty bottles jammed the refrigerator, and a powerful stench made the air almost unbearable.
A few neighbors did know the little girl. Some neighbors reportedly had called child welfare officials to tell them about Nadine's maltreatment.
Nonetheless, Children's Services Administration Commissioner it appeared that his agency had closed its files on the family. The family's last contact with the child welfare authorities was on May 25, 1995.
Lockwood singled out Nadine for neglect, feeding the others in her custody "while that baby was in the crib with a chicken bone. The little girl was in there chewing on a bone."
Police were called by Nadine's father, Leroy Dickerson, who reportedly did not live with the family and had not seen the girl for several months.
Dickerson said Lockwood took out her frustrations on Nadine over their splintered marriage and the demands of raising seven children. "Carla picked on Nadine because she looked the most like me." "She was a throwaway baby."
Most neighbors were not aware that Lockwood had more than six children. "Nobody knew that baby." However, one neighbor told The Post, she had been calling welfare authorities regularly since Nadine's birth. "It was horrible, nothing got done". Authorities did show up but apparently never saw Nadine. Nadine and one of her siblings had tested positive for drugs at birth.
 -09/03/96

[jjm2111]

Like the guy I heard on hannity once who beats his fifteen year old son with a paddle. Please.

[WellsFargo94]

Did anyone see the trial? I would have to see a transcript or something before I jump on this particular bandwagon.

He didn't protect his child. No details needed.

[HalfIrish]

Nothing in the story you found points a finger at the father as an active participant. But reading between the lines it looks like he waited a number of years before calling the authorities. Let him rot. I agree with the judge's remarks.

[realwoman]

Another man/father hater. Perhaps he COULDN'T protect his child! Fathers are routinely removed from their childrens' lives each and every day in "family" court.

Like I said, I would have to see the transcript, the evidence submitted, SOMETHING before I just take the word of the prosecuter/state on this. Sometimes it is the state itself that KEEPS a man from protecting his child!

[realwoman]

This story seems to substantiate exacty what I said.

[realwoman]

Prosecutors said......I don't really care WHAT prosecutors said! The state is most often responsible for a man being forced out of his child's life, with the aid of mommy of course. Was there PROOF of what they "said"? Do you believe everything the media tells you? I sure don't, I believe what I SEE in the courts, what I see in my work, what I see happen to men in the courts.

[SarahW]

I agree with you. He is responsible for not contacting authorities sooner. He knew Nadine was being treated as a "throwaway" child. He deserves his punishment.

[FormerLurker]

The child's mother, Carla Lockwood, 39, pleaded guilty in the case in 1997 and was sentenced to 15 years to life.

The mother told the authorities she had not fed Nadine regularly for a year and did not seek medical help even when she realized the girl was dying.

According to prosecutors, Carla Lockwood took care of the other six children in her custody but withheld food and medical care because she didn't want or love Nadine.

Lockwood singled out Nadine for neglect, feeding the others in her custody "while that baby was in the crib with a chicken bone. The little girl was in there chewing on a bone."

Police were called by Nadine's father, Leroy Dickerson, who reportedly did not live with the family and had not seen the girl for several months.

Yeah, the guy should be punished as he HAD known about the horrific abuse of his little girl yet did nothing until it was too late. And if he really did put her in a plastic bag and swing her around when she cried, sometimes slamming her into the ceiling, then yeah, he deserved the sentence that he received.

On the OTHER hand, the nasty wench who brought this poor child into the world should have been given AT LEAST the same sentence as the father, if not something much worse. How did she get away with only 15 years, where she's the one who was responsible for the abuse?

God bless this poor little girl, and may He comfort her pain...

[libravoter]

it is a FACT that men rarely receive custody and is very common for mothers to cut fathers out of their childrens' lives

From what I read, the parents weren't separated,, much less divorced.

I think his saying he was an absentee father referred to him just not taking care of the kids a lot.

Does anyone know the specifics?

[bandleader]

No,No,I've got a better idea!Give this RAT just enough food to keep him alive while he wastes away like that poor child!!!!

[libravoter]

How did she get away with only 15 years, where she's the one who was responsible for the abuse?

I believe she agreed to plead guilty whereas he decided to take on his chances in a jury trial.

Gambling didn't pay off.