Cody Lee Mork; Michigan; Jury acquits accused baby shaker; Petoskey News;

STORY: "Accused baby shaker acquitted," by reporter Heather Lockwood, published by Petoskey News on February 20, 2012. (This story came to my attention earlier today. HL);

GIST: "Mork, who was accused of causing severe injury to then-3-month-old Satavian Rostar, possibly by shaking, while he was baby sitting the boy at his home, appeared in Emmet County’s 57th Circuit Court for a jury trial Wednesday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 16. Petoskey-based defense attorney Bryan Klawuhn represented Mork. Klawuhn attempted to show the jury alternative theories as to what could have caused Satavian Rostar’s injuries, which included a fractured pelvis and bleeding in his head. Klawuhn pointed to witness testimony that the baby had ridden in his father’s vehicle on a bumpy two-track the day the alleged abuse occurred in August 2010, and that his father Devin Rostar played loud music with bass in the vehicle. Also, Klawuhn said, multiple people had access to Satavian Rostar during the days leading up to his hospitalization. Emmet County chief assistant prosecutor Duane Beach told the jury, according to a timeline based upon police interviews of witnesses and sworn testimony, Satavian Rostar was behaving normally until he was left alone with Mork and Mork’s two children, the day the alleged abuse occurred. Beach said Mork was the only adult who spent time alone with Satavian Rostar that day. Expert witness N. Debra Simms, M.D., FAAP, division chief for the Center for Child Protection at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, testified that Satavian Rostar’s injuries could not have been caused by everyday events and activities, such as the vibration caused by load music played in a vehicle, that they would have to have been caused by a shearing force, such as being held and shaken or battered with or against a soft object. Simms testified that there was no underlying disease, disorder or condition found and no known trauma in Satavian Rostar’s history that would have caused the symptoms he had upon his admission to the hospital. A “diagnosis of probable pediatric physical abuse was given,” she testified."

THE ENTIRE STORY CAN BE FOUND AT:

http://www.petoskeynews.com/news/pnr-accused-baby-shaker-acquitted-20120220,0,7553992.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;