Dad pleads "not guilty by reason of insanity" in death of 5-month-old daughter (Hamilton, Ohio)

VINCENT BLANDA is another case of a daddy who was drafted into childcare because Mom was working. He's also another one of those daddies who "snapped" because the baby was crying and "wouldn't shut up" which annoyed him dreadfully. So Daddy shook her till she was vomiting and her head was wobbling. The baby developed extensive bleeding in her eyes and brain, and subsequently died as a result of the inner-cranial hemorrhage.

But it's not Daddy's fault, see. 'Cause he was "depressed" and "bipolar" and has "mania" to boot! And he went off his meds!

And they say women and mothers are the masters of the mental illness excuse. Bull malarkey. There are plenty of killer dads who come up with the same line of defense. (By the way, I know plenty of people who have histories of depression and/or bipolar disorder, and none of them have murdered any infants or kids.)

http://www.journal-news.com/news/crime/detective-father-admitted-shaking-baby-490087.html

Detective: Father admitted shaking baby
Hamilton man is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity

By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer
Updated 6:50 AM Wednesday, January 13, 2010

HAMILTON — A Hamilton man charged with killing his daughter admitted he shook the baby before she died, a police detective told the jury Tuesday, Jan. 12, in the second day of his trial.

Vincent Blanda, 39, is charged with murder, domestic violence and endangering children for the death of 5-month-old Brooklynn Blanda on March 23, 2008.

According to Hamilton police detectives, an autopsy indicates Brooklynn died of an inner-cranial hemorrhage.

During opening statements in Butler County Common Pleas Court, county Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer McElfresh told the jury that Blanda shook his daughter when she began to cry then called his wife, Carmen, and told her he had shaken the baby. The infant was vomiting and her head was wobbling, Blanda told his wife, according to McElfresh.

Doctors were unable to save the child, who died after extensive bleeding in her eyes and brain, McElfresh said.

Defense attorney Jeremy Evans said during opening statements that Blanda, who is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, suffers from mental illness.

A psychologist who examined Blanda is expected to testify the defendant has a bipolar disorder and suffers from mania and depression. At the time of Brooklynn’s death, Blanda was not taking his medication, Evans said.

Evans said a defense witness will testify “that Brooklynn had a serious issue that had nothing to do with shaking or blunt force trauma.

“When she woke up that morning she was already dying,” Evans said during opening statements.
The prosecution played a 911 tape from Hamilton police dispatchers in which Blanda said, “I did something stupid. I’ve had very little sleep, and my wife’s at work. My 5-month-old baby woke up, and I started shaking her a little bit, and now she’s kind of comatose,”

The prosecution’s first witness, Blanda’s ex-wife, Carmen Nichols, sobbed as she recalled the call she received from Blanda stating he had shaken the infant. Nichols, a nurse, left Brooklynn in her husband’s care while she was at work.

“He said he was sorry he had shaken her,” Nichols said.

Nichols said she had been taking the child to regular visits with her pediatrician, Dr. Mark Blankenburg. Other than some spitting up, Nichols said her baby did not have health issues.

Hamilton police Detective Mark Hayes testified Blanda told him Brooklynn awoke screaming and he tried to quiet the baby with a bottle, a pacifier and by walking with her.

“He said she just wouldn’t shut up,” Hayes said. “He (Blanda) said he just snapped ... and started shaking her.”

Paramedics testified when they arrived at Blanda’s Williams Avenue apartment, Brooklynn was limp and not breathing.

The trial continues Wednesday with experts scheduled to testify about how Brooklynn died.