Friday, July 13, 2012

Psychologist dad gets 20-30 years for killing 20-year-old daughter with baseball bat (Oakland County, Michigan)

We've posted on this case several times before. Daddy Dearest is identified as ROBERT KELLY.

http://www.freep.com/article/20120711/NEWS03/120711037/father-sentenced-baseball-bat-beating-daughter

Psychologist gets 20-30 years for killing daughter with baseball bat

3:17 PM, July 11, 2012

By L.L.Brasier
Free Press staff writer

A judge today sentenced an Oxford Village psychologist to 20-30 years for beating his 20-year-old daughter in the head with a baseball bat as she lay sleeping in her bed.

No one, including the defendant, Robert Kelly, could explain why he got up early one morning in May 2011, walked down the hallway to Megan Robert’s room, and beat her into a coma. She died a few months later at a local hospital.

“I wish I could answer the question as to what would make a human being do what I’ve done,” Kelly told Oakland County Circuit Court judge Rudy Nichols, as he stood shackled, tears streaming down his face, while several people in the courtroom cried..

“I was a good dad and I don’t know why I did this. If only I could bring back Megan. I ask for your prayers and your forgiveness.”

Kelly was originally charged with first degree murder in the killing, but pleaded to second degree in June with the hope of avoiding a mandatory life sentence. His attorney, Sanford Schulman said Kelly’s undiagnosed mental illness caused the attack.

“Earthquakes happen, tornadoes happen, cancer happens, mental health happens,” Schulman said. “There was no motive, none. He loved his daughter.”

In an emotional appeal to the judge for a long sentence, Megan’s aunt, Sandra Bucklyn told the judge the murder had deeply traumatized the family and left them with the same question police and prosecutors had – why? “We are coming