Posted on 08/27/2005 7:22:01 AM PDT by DocRock
Bartow, Florida
Probation in Baby Killing
A retarded woman gets 10 years in the beating death of her month-old infant.
BARTOW -- A retarded woman once deemed unfit to stand trial was sentenced to 10 years' probation Friday for beating her infant to death two years ago.
As part of a deal with prosecutors, Brandylon Nicole Gilbert, 21, pleaded no contest to manslaughter. Originally, a grand jury indicted the Babson Park woman for first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.
Her lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Howardene Garrett, said her client was competent to make the deal with prosecutors. Two years ago, Gilbert's case was delayed after a judge found her incompetent to stand trial.
(Excerpt) Read more at theledger.com ...
"Garrett said her client was greatly disadvantaged growing up."
"The money is not there for them," Garrett said. "I think society is failing these people."
So, what? Let's be undersdtanding when they brutally beat their babies to death! WHat a crock and a travesty.
So, what? Let's be undersdtanding when they brutally beat their babies to death! What a crock and a travesty.
She was competent to make a deal... take care of her ailing stroke victim mother... and care for her 2 year old son, but she was not competent to stand trial for beating her infant child to death. I'm speechless.
Obviously something is very wrong that this woman was allowed to keep the child in the first place.
These criminals, lawyers, and judges may wrest the laws and situation here, but they cannot and will not fool or get it over on God in Heaven. Ultimately a higher magistrate will weigh in on such things.
All said dripping with sarcasm.
Send her to Mother Cindy.
Was she raped?
If she was an incompetant then there should be either molestation or rape charges pending for someone.
I had to go and read the whole article after reading your post. She no longer has custody of her son, who was 2 at the time she beat her newborn.
In the 2 yrs since she was declared incompetant she has been in a facility where she has had explained to her so she understands..what she did and what the consequences of those actions will be.
Whether she should have ever had any kids or been allowed to keep them because of her mental retardation is another question, but to state that just because she was able to have babies and care for her mom and an older son means she really understood that hitting an infant in the head would kill the baby, well I have a mentally retarded daughter, she really would have NO idea that she killed a baby, she could be taught to care for someone who is disabled or even an infant, but she does not understand 'death' and that her actions could cause it.
Not all people with MR understand exactly what they have done, in this case the judge said that she did not and sent her to an institution to be taught what she had done. Having said that I'd still wonder if this young woman really does understand what she has pleaded to.
There really ARE people who do NOT understand death is final.
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