peterson@vaxwrk.DEC (Bob Peterson) (12/16/85)
Because he's older he gets the heavier punishment? I thought this might be useful for drawing comaprisons with the Toronto bashing-murder. Quoted in full from AP newswire without permission. (Note: I do not condone the actions Gilbert has been charged with). --------------------------------------------- Associated Press Fri 13-DEC-1985 07:23 Transvestite Babysitter Jury Gives Transvestite Babysitter Life Sentence Eds: Note contents. DALLAS (AP) - Jurors wept after deliberating less than an hour and recommending a life sentence for a man who posed as a woman babysitter and fatally scalded a 4-month-old boy. Richard Arthur Gilbert, a 29-year-old transvestite, said he accidentally spilled hot water on the child, who later died of the injuries. Convicted of injury to a child on Wednesday, he also was fined $10,000 in addition to the life sentence imposed Thursday. Jurors wept with Vera and Andrew Baker, the parents of the child, as the punishment was announced. The Bakers have declined to comment on the trial's outcome. A finding by jurors and State District Judge Jack Hampton that a deadly weapon - the scalding water - was used in the crime mandates that Gilbert serve at least 20 years of the sentence, prosecutor Rider Scott said. ``I think it was an expression of the community outrage - that a person like this could prey on the community,'' said Scott. [[What about boys like in Canada, or their role models who incite homophobia? \bob]] Gilbert's attorney, Russ Henrichs, said he would appeal. Gilbert testified Wednesday that the scalding was not intentional, and said, sobbing, that he was ``hysterical'' after the child was hurt in the Sept. 26 incident. But prosecutors relied on the testimony of three doctors who said forced-immersion burns, such as those on the Baker baby, look different from those of accidental splash burns. Scott, in his final argument, suggested that the scalding may have been prompted by Gilbert's desire to conceal another injury to the child. Gilbert has been indicted in a separate case on charges that he sexually assaulted a 2-year-old boy while babysitting in East Dallas. Investigators said Gilbert identified himself as ``Jean Gilbert'' and posed as a woman throughout the three months he worked for the Bakers. ------------------------------------ \bob usenet: decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-vaxwrk!peterson /\ arpa: peterson%vaxwrk.DEC@decwrl.ARPA