Custodial dad found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in beating death of 22-month-old daughter (Jacksonville, Florida)

Dad JOSI MONTELL HALL, who had sole custody of his 22-month-old daughter, has been found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in her beating death. Apparently, Dad convinced Mom to take the fall for Dad's earlier abuse of the child in the home, and Mom fell for the ruse (she apparently was told they would be eligible for family reunification at a later date). Well that didn't work out as planned. Her parental rights were terminated, and then Dad petitioned for sole custody. Eleven months later, the baby was dead by his hands.

http://jacksonville.com/paul-pinkham/2010-04-23/story/verdict-jacksonville-dad-killed-his-baby-kyla

Verdict: Jacksonville dad killed his baby Kyla
Posted: April 23, 2010 - 3:41pm

By Paul Pinkham

This wasn’t the first time Josi Montell Hall was accused of violently abusing his daughter. But this time there was no doubt, Jacksonville prosecutors said.

A jury agreed Friday, finding Hall guilty of second-degree murder in the 2008 beating death of his 22-month-old daughter, Kyla.

Hall, who turns 26 Saturday, faces up to life in prison. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Senterfitt said she would schedule sentencing the week of May 24.

Hall was charged with murder 13 months ago after an autopsy showed Kyla died almost immediately after a blow tore her heart. Defense attorney L. Lee Lockett argued that prosecutors didn’t prove his client was guilty of murder, suggesting the child’s mother could have struck her and Hall was covering for her.

But the time of death sealed Hall’s guilt, said Assistant State Attorney Alan Mizrahi.

“There was no doubt,” Mizrahi said. “He was in the sole care and custody of this child.”

Hall and Ashley Monet Saffore, 23, were first arrested in 2007 and charged with aggravated child abuse and neglect of their then-9-month-old daughter. Those charges eventually were dismissed because authorities couldn’t prove which parent caused Kyla’s head injuries.

Saffore gave up her parental rights, and Hall regained custody of his daughter in December 2007. Mizrahi told jurors Friday that the parental rights termination was a ruse concocted by Hall for one parent to take responsibility so the other could get Kyla back with a promise of eventually reuniting the family.

Eleven months later, Kyla was dead by her father’s hand.

Mizrahi wouldn’t call the fatal reunification an indictment of the child protective system but said it was clearly an error in judgment.