Dad gets 8 years in death of 5-month-old son (Battle Creek, Michigan)

Notice how the headline identifies perpetrator SHAWN BROWN in a misleading way, as just a "man." In reality, this "man" is the baby's father. This (deliberate?) confusion is very common in these kinds of articles. By contrast, a criminal mother is always identified upfront as a mom, and even assorted girlfriends and steps are frequently misidentified as moms.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100914/NEWS06/100914009/1322/Battle-Creek-man-26-gets-8-years-in-baby-death

Posted: 7:13 a.m. Sept. 14, 2010
Battle Creek man, 26, gets 8 years in baby death
ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Battle Creek man has been ordered to spend eight years behind bars in the death of his 5-month-old son.

A jury last month convicted Shawn Brown of voluntary manslaughter and child abuse. He received his sentence Monday.

The 26-year-old Brown is accused in the January shaking death of Shawn Brown Jr., a charge the father denies.

Brown told Calhoun County Circuit Judge Allen Gabrecht it's "a hard situation to know that I am charged with killing my son, but I didn't."

Brown testified at trial his son choked on formula and stopped breathing. Doctors testified he died from a severe head injury.

The Battle Creek Enquirer reports jurors rejected prosecutors' arguments that Brown was guilty of felony murder and should serve a life sentence without parole.

Read more: Battle Creek man, 26, gets 8 years in baby death freep.com Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20100914/NEWS06/100914009/1322/Battle-Creek-man-26-gets-8-years-in-baby-death#ixzz0zccrp9Gr