Pa Woman Convicted

[LKTraz]

0

I've been following this trial and I'm glad the jury found the way it did.


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From WNEP 16 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
A woman accused of beating to death her young stepson in Lackawanna County was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder.

It took a jury about 12 hours over two days to decide that Wandaly Perez-Hood is guilty of first-degree murder in the beating death of her three-year-old stepson. Now, that same jury will decide whether she gets life in prison or the death penalty.

The courtroom was very quiet as the verdict was read Thursday afternoon. The defendant put her head down and cried. Her sister and other family members could be heard sobbing as the judge read the guilty verdict.

It took more than 12 hours for a jury to find Wandaly Perez-Hood, 33, guilty of first-degree murder. As punishment for killing her three-year-old stepson, Isaiah, she will either get life in prison or the death penalty.

Prosecutors accused Perez-Hood of beating Isaiah to death in June 2005 at an apartment building in Jermyn. An autopsy revealed eight blows to Isaiah's head caused the major brain damage that killed him.

Isaiah's family members were in court during the trial.

"They're satisfied," said Assistant District Attorney Gene Talerico. "It's bittersweet. It certainly doesn't bring him back, but some measure of justice was achieved today."

Now, Perez-Hood's defense attorney will try to save her life. He says he will have character witnesses, including family members and prison guards, testify on her behalf when the penalty phase begins Friday morning.

"She has no criminal history whatsoever, which is another mitigating factor," said Paul Walker, Perez-Hood's attorney. "In addition to that, she had some issues. We had her evaluated by a psychologist. He's going to testify."

The prosecution says the fact that the child was only three years old will be a key factor in their argument for the death penalty. Prosecutors say Isaiah's family has not shown preference either way.

"This entire time, they haven't really pushed for anything other than for justice to prevail and to allow the process to follow through its natural progression," said Talerico.

The death penalty phase of the trial starts at 9 a.m. Friday at the Lackawanna County Courthouse in Scranton. The judge has even reserved court time for this weekend if the proceedings take longer than a day.

Copyright 2010, WNEP-TV

 
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I say save the taxpayers from having to support this animal and hand down capital punishment.

[Jamminitin]

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I agree. One bullet, plenty cheap.

I read nothing about the father of child. Where was he in all this? Or the mother for that matter.

[LKTraz]

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Nothing at all was mentioned about the mother. The father and older daughter were supposed to be way on the other side of the house when it happened.

[BarEdul]

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Recent "News Cast" Said dad was at work... But now the asshole completely supports his wife???? OH PLEASE!!!!! Someone kills one of my kids and they better have bulletproof equipment for their whole body head and heels included cause I will find some way to make sure they see true justice...

Jury is still out on the death penalty for this cow hopefully they give it too her the way she did this precious baby.

[LKTraz]

0

Just in on the case.

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From WNEP 16

A woman convicted of beating her young stepson to death in Lackawanna County will spend the rest of her life in prison.

It took jurors approximately one hour on Friday to decide the fate of Wandaly Perez-Hood. On Thursday, that same jury convicted her of first-degree murder for beating to death her three-year-old stepson, Isaiah, in 2005.

The courtroom was very quiet as the verdict was read Thursday afternoon. The defendant put her head down and cried. Her sister and other family members could be heard sobbing as the judge read the guilty verdict.

Prosecutors accused Perez-Hood of beating Isaiah to death in June 2005 at an apartment building in Jermyn. An autopsy revealed eight blows to Isaiah's head caused the major brain damage that killed him.

Isaiah's family members were in court during the trial.

"They're satisfied," said Assistant District Attorney Gene Talerico. "It's bittersweet. It certainly doesn't bring him back, but some measure of justice was achieved today."

As the penalty phase began Friday morning, Perez-Hood's attorney tried to save her life. He had character witnesses, including family members and prison guards, testify on her behalf.

"She has no criminal history whatsoever, which is another mitigating factor," said Paul Walker, Perez-Hood's attorney. "In addition to that, she had some issues. We had her evaluated by a psychologist. He's going to testify."

The prosecution said the fact that the child was only three years old would be a key factor in its argument for the death penalty. Prosecutors said Isaiah's family has not shown preference either way.

"This entire time, they haven't really pushed for anything other than for justice to prevail and to allow the process to follow through its natural progression," said Talerico.

After a little more than an hour on Friday afternoon, the jury decided Wandaly Perez-Hood will spend the rest of her life in prison.

Perez-Hood's defense attorney said while he is glad she did not get the death penalty, he believed jurors made the wrong decision Thursday in convicting her of first-degree murder.

"It is without a doubt the worst jury verdict I've ever had in my life," said defense attorney Paul Walker.

Walker questioned what led up the guilty verdict.

"For them to ponder for 12 hours a decision as to whether or not there was specific intent and that's not reasonable doubt," he said.

Prosecutors said they were satisfied with the sentence.

"We said yesterday that the jury was an extraordinarily thoughtful and analytical jury. We absolutely respect their decision. It was a difficult case, difficult decision," said Assistant District Attorney Gene Talerico.

In court, family members tearfully begged for Perez-Hood's life. Perez-Hood herself addressed the jury saying, "I'm going to ask you to please spare my life, to see my children grow up, to give me a chance to see my family. Please."

Prosecutors said back in 2005 Perez-Hood beat three-year-old Isaiah over a potty training incident.

A psychologist who talked with Perez-Hood told jurors, "Under this extreme duress, she had the perfect psychological storm. She just snapped."

Prosecutors hope the life-sentence provides some justice for Isaiah's family, who said in a statement:

"He was our only link to our deceased daughter and our first grandson ... We will surely miss the high points of his life and the rewards of being grandparents ... We will also remember the pointless and cruel way he was taken away from us. "

"It's over and I think people can start the healing process at this point, and I think that's important for Isaiah's family," said Assistant District Attorney Jennifer McCambridge.

The judge told the jury that in Pennsylvania, a sentence of life in prison on a first-degree murder charge means that Wandaly Perez-Hood will not be eligible for parole.

Her defense attorney said he plans to appeal.


 

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Great....just great. Now we have to feed and clothe that murderous animal till she has the good sense to shit the bed and roll in it or some other nasty assed lifer takes her out.

[BarEdul]

0

to quote you at lunch.... "maybe they (the jury) had the foresight to send the bitch to jail for life with the hopes another inmate would off her in some nasty way for being a baby murder?"