Bulletin: Pamela Jacobazzi: Fall hearing for convicted day care owner; Changes in thinking about shaken-baby syndrome give her hope. Chicago Tribune.

STORY: "Day care owner convicted of shaking baby to death gets fall hearing. Attorney: Changes in thinking about syndrome, boy's medical history give client hope," by reporter Matthew Walberg, published in the Chicago Tribune on July 9, 2012.

GIST: "A former home day care owner from Bartlett convicted of fatally shaking an infant has moved closer to a hearing that could result in a new trial after spending over a decade in prison. Pamela Jacobazzi, 57, was found guilty in 1999 of the murder of a 10-month-old boy. He was in her care in August 1994 and died a year and four months later after going into a vegetative state because of brain trauma. Since then, the scientific basis behind shaken baby syndrome has come under increased scrutiny as prominent medical experts have questioned whether such injuries could be explained by pre-existing illness, accidental falls or other trauma At trial, medical experts testified that the child showed signs of shaken baby syndrome, or bleeding in the eyes and brain, that could only have been caused by violent shaking. Prosecutors argued that Jacobazzi shook the child in frustration and then gave police different stories about how the injuries occurred. The defense argued that the injuries could have occurred after the child left her care and said police were too quick to focus on Jacobazzi and did not adequately consider other possibilities.........Defense attorney Anthony Sassan, of Crystal Lake, said his client hopes evidence showing the boy had prior injury or illness, along with growing doubt surrounding the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, will give Jacobazzi another chance to show her innocence. "Our theory is based not only on the evolution of the theories of shaken baby syndrome and how much of it has been discounted, but also on facts found in the medical records of the child," Sassan said. A status hearing is set for this month, and the hearing ordered by the appeals court is scheduled to begin in November."

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-shaken-baby-20120709,0,5149732.story

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:

I am monitoring this case. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments.

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

Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.