Trial for deadbeat dad accused of beating, choking, and torturing 3-month-old son (Allentown, Pennsylvania)

Sounds like this deadbeat dad with a drug problem ended up as a "stay-at-home" dad since he couldn't/wouldn't get a job. Of course, he f***ed that up too, torturing his infant son for a solid month before he was caught. Seems like a real worthless sh** to me. 

Dad is identified as DEREK BULLARD.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/allentown/index.ssf/2013/06/trial_begins_for_allentown_man_1.html

Trial begins for Allentown man who allegedly 'beat, choked tortured' three-month-old son

By Colin McEvoy | The Express-Times on June 18, 2013 at 4:01 PM, updated June 18, 2013 at 4:03 PM

Just two days after Father's Day, the trial began today for an Allentown man accused of beating his three-month-old son until he suffered a leg fracture and broken ribs.

Derek Bullard, 24, allegedly abused his son over a one-month span last year, including an instance where he became enraged as he was changing the boy's diaper and twisted his leg until it popped. 

"Father's Day is a day we remember the bond we share with our fathers," said Lehigh County Assistant District Attorney Anna-Kristie Marks.

"For (this child), as he gets older, Father's Day will only remind him that this is the person who beat, choked and tortured him for one month of his short existence at that time," Marks said.

Bullard eventually confessed to police, but first tried to blame the abuse on his 18-month-old daughter, saying she must have accidentally hurt the baby, Marks said.

His trial began today for charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The alleged abuse occurred between May and June 2012.

Bullard previously told police he twisted his son's leg "in a fit of rage," Marks said, and that he would also choke, bite and punch the boy and throw him forcefully into his bassinet.

But during opening arguments today, Bullard's attorney John Baurkot said Bullard was innocent and falsely confessed to police in an attempt to keep his children out of foster care.

Baurkot said Bullard had a past substance abuse problem and was unable to find work, leaving his ex-wife to support the family, which was a source of frustration for Bullard.

Bullard had previously gone through foster care and had bad experiences there, so when his children were hurt, he took the blame so they could stay with their mother, Baurkot said.

"He couldn't take responsibility for his kids, so he felt the one thing he could do was prevent them from going through the trauma he went through himself in foster care," he said.

Bullard had pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in March, a plea that could have resulted in six to 20 years in prison. But he withdrew that plea in April and decided instead to face trial.

Bullard sat silently in court today, wearing black pants and a white dress shirt that barely concealed tattoos on his wrists and neck. Baurkot said he plans to take the stand in his own defense.

The baby was taken to an area hospital last year with a spiral femur fracture, a leg injury often associated with child abuse because it can be inflicted by twisting the leg, Marks said.

Upon further investigation, authorities discovered the child had also had two broken ribs and bruises on his right arm that made him cry hysterically when touched.

After Bullard initially confessed to police, he demonstrated on a doll how he hook the baby, twisted his arms and pressed down on his chest with a fist. That video will be shown to the jury during the trial. 

To demonstrate the force with which Bullard pressed the baby's chest, Marks punched the jury box with her fist so hard during opening arguments that her wristwatch broke.

"This defendant tortured his child," she said.

Testimony will continue throughout the week before Judge James Anthony.