STORY: "Who caused baby's brain injury at crux of trial, " by reporter Cam Fortems, published by Kamloops This Week on June 2, 2014.
GIST: "The lawyer defending a man accused of shaking his baby daughter
so hard it caused brain injury told a B.C. Supreme Court justice it’s
more likely her mother hurt the child. “It’s likely there was a series of incidents in the latter part of
January 2012 and early February — two or three incidents,” said defence
lawyer Bob McRoberts. He is defending Michael Beakley, charged with aggravated assault and
criminal negligence causing bodily harm against his then seven-month-old
daughter Hunter Beakley on the evening of Feb. 14, 2012. The ultimate violent episode, McRoberts said, happened not while
Hunter was in her father’s care that evening as his spouse was away at
work, but earlier that day or on Feb. 13. That was done by mother Cassandra Gunn, the lawyer suggested, calling her a “troubled young woman.” However, Crown prosecutor Bernie Caffaro said Beakley’s inaction that
evening while his daughter was in medical crisis is telling. The only rational explanation, he said, is Beakley violently shook his daughter while Gunn was at work.........Evidence heard at trial showed physicians treating Hunter immediately
suspected shaken-baby syndrome because the infant had no bruising or
other exterior signs of trauma. McRoberts said evidence shows Gunn was depressed before the incident. Rather than taking medicine prescribed by her doctor, she chose to
smoke marijuana, he said, noting Gunn made several suicide attempts,
including one after her first child was born. (Judge) Hyslop has reserved her decision to a later date."
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/who-caused-babys-brain-injury-at-crux-of-trial/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
I
have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses
several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of
the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this
powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and
myself get more out of the site.
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.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
I look forward to hearing from readers at:
hlevy15@gmail.com.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;
