AMANDA BRUMFIELD; CLAIMED BABY'S DEATH AN ACCIDENT. ACQUITTED OF MOST SERIOUS CHARGES: (1ST DEGREE MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE); GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER;

""Brumfield was found not-guilty on first-degree murder and aggravated child-abuse charges, according to the State Attorney's Office. She is expected to face sentencing on the manslaughter charge in July.

She maintained Olivia was trying to climb out of a playpen and fell a short distance, hitting her head. The defense suggested the fall may have aggravated a previous injury, causing her death.

The prosecution argued it was "impossible" that a fall from that height caused a three-and-a-half inch fracture on the back of the girl's skull and the bleeding and swelling found in her brain."

REPORTER JEFF WEINER; THE ORLANDO SENTINEL;

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"Amanda Brumfield, the estranged daughter of Hollywood actor Billy Bob Thornton, was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child last week, the State Attorney's Office said," the Orlando Sentinel story by reporter Jeff Weiner published earlier today begins, under the heading, "Billy Bob Thornton's daughter guilty of manslaughter in girl's death: Amanda Brumfield, 32, had faced a murder charge."

"Brumfield, 32, had faced a murder charge in the killing her best friend's daughter during an overnight stay in October 2008. She claimed the death of 1-year-old Olivia Madison Garcia was an accident," the story continues.

"Brumfield was found not-guilty on first-degree murder and aggravated child-abuse charges, according to the State Attorney's Office. She is expected to face sentencing on the manslaughter charge in July.

She maintained Olivia was trying to climb out of a playpen and fell a short distance, hitting her head. The defense suggested the fall may have aggravated a previous injury, causing her death.

The prosecution argued it was "impossible" that a fall from that height caused a three-and-a-half inch fracture on the back of the girl's skull and the bleeding and swelling found in her brain.

The verdict was handed down Friday. In contrast to the more high-profile Casey Anthony trial, expected to drag on for months in a courtroom 13 floors above it, the Brumfield trial took less than a week."

The story can be found at:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/os-amanda-brumfield-convicted-20110601,0,7280284.story

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:

http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;