Dad convicted of 1st-degree murder for beating death of 2-month-old son during visitation; sentenced to 40 years in prison (Iverness, Florida)

Update to the killer dads and custody list.

Dad SPENCER WEAVER reportedly had visitation.

http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/man-sentenced-40-years-murder

Man sentenced to 40 years for murder

Infant was shaken, choked

By Shemir Wiles
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 9:30 pm

INVERNESS — Dressed in all red with “INMATE” written in large black letters on his back, 22-year-old Spencer Tyson Weaver stood shackled and inexpressive before the judge Tuesday morning as he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his 2-month-old son.

“Mr. Weaver, do you want me to accept this plea?” Circuit Judge Ric Howard asked from the bench.

“Yes, sir,” Weaver answered promptly.

Weaver, of Inverness, was in court on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse related to the death of his son, Tamarri Weaver. Citrus County Sheriff’s Office officials said Weaver confessed to abusing his son by squeezing, choking and hitting him in the face with an open hand.

He was also in court facing charges of burglary where a person becomes armed and grand theft in connection with a home burglary that happened in 2008.

According to police reports, Weaver admitted to handling his son in a rough manner, squeezing his abdomen and bruising him starting in late January. He said he was “rough” with the child when picking him up and putting him down and would squeeze the baby’s neck and choke him while burping him.

 On Feb. 14, 2010, while alone with the baby, Weaver once again “squeezed the back of his neck very hard while choking” the baby and removed the baby from the bed “in a rough and forceful manner,” according to his arrest affidavit. Then, he threw the baby down on his waterbed and hit him twice on the right side of his head with an open hand.

After that, Weaver said he could tell the abuse had affected the baby, who was not alert and was going in and out of consciousness.

At this point, Weaver said he was scared because he knew he had done harm to the baby but did not call 911 out of concern for what he’d done. Instead, he took the child to the bathroom and gave him a bath. While doing so, Weaver hit the child’s head on the sink, causing the child to go limp.

He then took the baby to the bedroom and placed him on the bed in a rough manner. Weaver told detectives he was panicked because the baby wasn’t breathing so he started to slap the child in the face.

As a result of the injuries, the baby was airlifted to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where he died two days later from his injuries Weaver said he knew that his actions toward his son caused the injuries and ultimately his son’s death.

Avoiding life imprisonment, Weaver signed the plea agreement Monday morning because his attorney Steve Laurence said Weaver believed it was in his best interest. In addition, his first-degree murder charge was also reduced to a second-degree murder charge.

 However, Assistant State Attorney Pete Magrino stated for the record that both law enforcement and the mother of the child and her family were against the plea and wanted a trial.

 Magrino attempted to postpone Weaver’s sentencing for a later date because the deceased child’s mother was not present. But, Howard said everyone was “put on notice” and he would proceed.

Only one family member — an uncle — appeared in court in support of Weaver. However, he didn’t address the court and left courtroom in silence.