Dad convicted in assault of son; 12-year-old boy nearly died (Schenectady, New York)

What is it with dad KHALIL HAKIM-PETERS? He assaults his 12-year-old. Grabs him by the throat and bangs his head into the ground--all in front of the other children, of course. The boy nearly died from the traumatic head injuries. And what brought this on? The boy said he "wanted to be like other kids his age." Well, isn't that some nerve (sarcasm alert).

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT: Where is the mother of these children? Not a word here. The surviving 12-year-old is now "staying with relatives." Why? Is this a custodial or single father?

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=938710

Schenectady father convicted of assault that nearly caused son's death
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer
Last updated: 6:54 p.m., Monday, June 7, 2010

SCHENECTADY -- A city father has been convicted of nearly killing his 12-year-old son while attempting to discipline the youngster, according to the prosecutor who handled the case which had to be retried.

The first assault trial of Khalil Hakim-Peters, 33, ended in February in a hung jury, said Michele Schettino, the District Attorneys Special Victims Bureau Chief.

A Schenectady County jury Monday afternoon found Hakim-Peters guilty of assault and reckless endangerment, both felonies.

The Delamont Avenue man faces 8 to 25 years behind bars when he is sentenced on Aug. 12 by Visiting County Judge Richard Sise.

Attorney Mark Gaylord, who represented Hakim-Peters during the trial, could not be immediately reached Monday for comment for comment.

Schettino said the boy testified that in March 2009 his father grabbed him by the throat, threw him to the ground banged his head onto the ground several times in the presence of the other children, ages 18 months to 11 years.

Hakim-Peters had became livid after his son told his father he wanted to be like other kids his age, the prosecutor said.

The youngster suffered traumatic brain injury that required a week long stay at Albany Medical Center Hospital followed by 5 weeks of rehabilitation. He is still undergoing physical, occupational, and speech therapy, Schettino added. She said the full extent of his physical injury will not be determined for some years because his brain is still developing.

Several of the other siblings except the youngest child also took the stand for the prosecution during the trial, Schettino added.

The 12-year-old is now staying with relatives in another part of New York, the prosecutor said.

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