RYON SMITH - 6 yo (2005) - Belleville IL
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RYON SMITH - 6 yo (2005) - Belleville IL
by TomTerrific0420 on Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:18 pm
BELLEVILLE • The doctor who performed an autopsy on Ryon Smith testified in court today that the 6-year-old found dead in a Cahokia home on Christmas Day 2005 had 57 distinct injuries and died of blunt trauma to the stomach.
The child's body had been in and then out of rigor mortis and was already decomposing when authorities arrived, according to Dr. Raj Nanduri, a forensic pathologist for the St. Clair County coroner's office.
Ryon's mother, Starr Lohman, admitted in court earlier today that she stood idly by while her boyfriend struck Ryon 15 to 30 times.
Lohman, 29, testified without emotion for about 90 minutes as a key witness against Lee Crutchfield, 39, in his trial in St. Clair County Circuit Court on a first-degree murder charge.
"Why did not you protect your son?" public defender Thomas Keefe III asked her in cross-examination.
"I should have," she replied.
Lohman testified for Assistant State's Attorney Steve Sallerson under an agreement that her own first-degree murder charge would be reduced to aggravated battery of a child, with a recommended sentence of 15 to 30 years. She would have to serve 85 percent, and get credit for six years she has spent in jail awaiting trial.
She told the jury that Crutchfield would put Ryon into a closet at their home because they didn't get along and he complained he could not get any peace. She insisted that she never put her son in the closet.
Sometime late on Dec. 23 or early on Dec. 24, 2005, she told the court, she saw Crutchfield hit Ryon repeatedly on the head and chest with his hand for urinating in the closet. She said she then went to a service station for awhile.
She said her son was unresponsive for 36 hours, before they finally called a hospital, and then 911, on Christmas Day.
Nanduri testified that she could not determine a time of death. She noted that at 34 pounds, Ryon was underweight for his age, and suffered injuries to his head, chest and stomach.
Lohman testified that Ryon sometimes faked seizures and she thought he was doing it again when she saw him in distress.
"I didn't call and get him help when he needed it.," she admitted.
She said she had spanked him in the past but never hit him otherwise, and had not done so in this incident.
At one point, she described Ryon as "a good kid."
In Keefe's questioning, the lawyer sought to highlight inconsistencies between Lohman's testimony and things she initially told police — including conjecture at the time that Ryon might have been hurt in a fall, with no mention of a beating.
Asked why she had not told the truth to police, she said, "I was scared."
In a police interrogation video played in court Tuesday, Crutchfield described Ryon as a difficult child who often hurled racial insults at him. Crutchfield is black; the boy's mother is white.
Crutchfield acknowledged in the recording that he punched Ryon twice in the head because the boy was biting his finger about two days before Christmas.
Lohman testified Wednesday that she only once heard her son direct a racial epithet at Crutchfield, and it was some time before the beating.
Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/cahokia-child-had-injuries-and-was-decomposing-doctor-tells-murder/article_b4fcc938-1b7b-11e1-88af-0019bb30f31a.html#ixzz1fF1CzWya
TomTerrific0420- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies: Searching for Truth and Justice
Re: RYON SMITH - 6 yo (2005) - Belleville IL
by babyjustice on Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:57 pm
Poor sweet little boy. What a tragedy that his mother didn't protect them. When are these POS mothers going to care more about their children than violent abusing boyfriends. I wish the disgusting child killer gets the death penalty only that they would slowly beat him to death.
babyjustice- Superhero (cape and tights included)
Re: RYON SMITH - 6 yo (2005) - Belleville IL
by mom_in_il on Thu Dec 01, 2011 6:43 am
Thursday, Dec. 01, 2011
Defense rests in murder of 6-year-old Cahokia boy
News-Democrat
The defense has rested in the Lee Crutchfield murder trial.
The state called Dr. Michael Graham, the St. Louis city medical examiner, who said he saw no credible evidence that 6-year-old Ryon Smith suffered an epileptic seizure before he died.
Defense attorney Thomas Keefe III in opening statements claimed that the boy did not die from a beating, but from an epileptic seizure.
Ryon's mother, Starr Lohman, said she said Crutchfield hit the boy 20 or 30 times before he died prior to Christmas 2005 at their house in Cahokia.
Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/12/01/1962947/defense-rests-in-murder-of-6-year.html#ixzz1fJ28wZ4w
Defense rests in murder of 6-year-old Cahokia boy
News-Democrat
The defense has rested in the Lee Crutchfield murder trial.
The state called Dr. Michael Graham, the St. Louis city medical examiner, who said he saw no credible evidence that 6-year-old Ryon Smith suffered an epileptic seizure before he died.
Defense attorney Thomas Keefe III in opening statements claimed that the boy did not die from a beating, but from an epileptic seizure.
Ryon's mother, Starr Lohman, said she said Crutchfield hit the boy 20 or 30 times before he died prior to Christmas 2005 at their house in Cahokia.
Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/12/01/1962947/defense-rests-in-murder-of-6-year.html#ixzz1fJ28wZ4w
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RYON SMITH - 6 yo (2005) - Belleville IL
by mom_in_il on Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:53 pm
Thursday, Dec. 01, 2011
Crutchfield guilty in death of 6-year-old Cahokia boy
BY BETH HUNDSDORFER - News-Democrat
As the verdict was read by the court clerk, a gasp went out: "Guilty."
The jury deliberated about an hour and a half before finding that Lee Crutchfield murdered his girlfriend's 6-year-old son, Ryon Smith, by beating him to death on Christmas Eve 2005.
After the verdict, Crutchfield sat at the defense table, nodding as he stared at the jurors as they were polled.
Cahokia Police received a call Dec. 25, 2005, from the boy's mother, Starr Lohman, who said the boy wasn't breathing. Police found Ryon's lifeless body, which they said was beaten so badly his race could not immediately be determined.
Brenda Watts, Ryon's grandmother, Jennifer Watts, Ryon's aunt, and Jennifer Shinkle, Lohman's best friend, cried after the verdict.
"Thank God for the police, prosecutors and jury," Brenda Watts said. "We finally have justice for Ryon."
"We've waited six years for it," Shinkle added.
It was a difficult case, said St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly, that caused veteran police officers to become emotional on the witness stand when they viewed crime scene photos of the battered and bruised face of the boy.
"The doctors, prosecutors, family and now the jury have shared a burden with this case," Kelly said. "The community should be proud they finally gave Ryon Smith a voice."
Belleville attorney Thomas Q. Keefe III, Crutchfield's lawyer, declined to comment after the verdict.
During closing arguments on Thursday, Assistant State's Attorney Steve Sallerson showed the jury a studio photograph of a smiling Ryon.
"What should have happened on Dec. 24, 2005?" Sallerson said.
"Ryon Smith should have been anxiously awaiting Christmas with a twinkle in his eye, wondering what presents he's going to get. Instead, he spent it locked in a closet, then beaten by that man there." Sallerson pointed Crutchfield.
Sallerson urged the jury to listen to what Ryon's autopsy pictures said -- that the boy died from a beating at Crutchfield's hand.
Keefe asked the jury to decide the case based on facts and evidence, instead of emotion and vengeance.
"Get pissed. Get pissed and want someone to pay for this," Keefe told the jury. "Get pissed, then get it the hell out of your system, then take another look at this."
Keefe argued that Ryon died after suffering an epileptic seizure, causing facial and upper body injuries. He was further injured by improperly administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
On Thursday afternoon, Dr. Harvey Cantor, a pediatric neurologist, testified there was "no way" Ryon died as a result of epilepsy.
"If you are in Texas and you hear hooves, you don't think zebras. You think horses," Cantor told the jurors, referring to the bruises, cuts and abrasions on Ryon's body.
Cantor told jurors that if Ryon succumbed to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, it would have been a "one of a kind" case, because most people who die from SUDEP are adults who suffered from epilepsy for a long time. Children who die of SUDEP usually have some major underlying neurological condition, such as cerebral palsy, he said.
After Cantor completed his testimony in the state's rebuttal case, Keefe asked Cantor's testimony be stricken because Cantor did not submit all the articles he reviewed in rendering his medical opinion.
Associate Judge Brian Babka denied Keefe's motion. He also denied Keefe's motion for a directed verdict.
The state called Dr. Michael Graham, the St. Louis city medical examiner, who said he saw no credible evidence that Ryon suffered an epileptic seizure before he died.
Ryon weighed 35 pounds at the time of his death. He wasn't attending school. There were no presents, toys or Christmas decorations in the home Ryon shared with his mother and Crutchfield on Upper Cahokia Road in Cahokia.
Lohman testified on Wednesday that she saw Crutchfield hit the boy 20 or 30 times on the night of his death.
In exchange for her testimony, prosecutors will allow Lohman, who also is charged with first-degree murder, to plead guilty to aggravated battery of a child with a 15- to 30-year prison term.
Crutchfield is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 19. He could get 20 to 60 years in prison.
Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/12/01/1962947/defense-rests-in-murder-of-6-year.html#ixzz1fLkBAwDF
Crutchfield guilty in death of 6-year-old Cahokia boy
BY BETH HUNDSDORFER - News-Democrat
As the verdict was read by the court clerk, a gasp went out: "Guilty."
The jury deliberated about an hour and a half before finding that Lee Crutchfield murdered his girlfriend's 6-year-old son, Ryon Smith, by beating him to death on Christmas Eve 2005.
After the verdict, Crutchfield sat at the defense table, nodding as he stared at the jurors as they were polled.
Cahokia Police received a call Dec. 25, 2005, from the boy's mother, Starr Lohman, who said the boy wasn't breathing. Police found Ryon's lifeless body, which they said was beaten so badly his race could not immediately be determined.
Brenda Watts, Ryon's grandmother, Jennifer Watts, Ryon's aunt, and Jennifer Shinkle, Lohman's best friend, cried after the verdict.
"Thank God for the police, prosecutors and jury," Brenda Watts said. "We finally have justice for Ryon."
"We've waited six years for it," Shinkle added.
It was a difficult case, said St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly, that caused veteran police officers to become emotional on the witness stand when they viewed crime scene photos of the battered and bruised face of the boy.
"The doctors, prosecutors, family and now the jury have shared a burden with this case," Kelly said. "The community should be proud they finally gave Ryon Smith a voice."
Belleville attorney Thomas Q. Keefe III, Crutchfield's lawyer, declined to comment after the verdict.
During closing arguments on Thursday, Assistant State's Attorney Steve Sallerson showed the jury a studio photograph of a smiling Ryon.
"What should have happened on Dec. 24, 2005?" Sallerson said.
"Ryon Smith should have been anxiously awaiting Christmas with a twinkle in his eye, wondering what presents he's going to get. Instead, he spent it locked in a closet, then beaten by that man there." Sallerson pointed Crutchfield.
Sallerson urged the jury to listen to what Ryon's autopsy pictures said -- that the boy died from a beating at Crutchfield's hand.
Keefe asked the jury to decide the case based on facts and evidence, instead of emotion and vengeance.
"Get pissed. Get pissed and want someone to pay for this," Keefe told the jury. "Get pissed, then get it the hell out of your system, then take another look at this."
Keefe argued that Ryon died after suffering an epileptic seizure, causing facial and upper body injuries. He was further injured by improperly administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
On Thursday afternoon, Dr. Harvey Cantor, a pediatric neurologist, testified there was "no way" Ryon died as a result of epilepsy.
"If you are in Texas and you hear hooves, you don't think zebras. You think horses," Cantor told the jurors, referring to the bruises, cuts and abrasions on Ryon's body.
Cantor told jurors that if Ryon succumbed to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, it would have been a "one of a kind" case, because most people who die from SUDEP are adults who suffered from epilepsy for a long time. Children who die of SUDEP usually have some major underlying neurological condition, such as cerebral palsy, he said.
After Cantor completed his testimony in the state's rebuttal case, Keefe asked Cantor's testimony be stricken because Cantor did not submit all the articles he reviewed in rendering his medical opinion.
Associate Judge Brian Babka denied Keefe's motion. He also denied Keefe's motion for a directed verdict.
The state called Dr. Michael Graham, the St. Louis city medical examiner, who said he saw no credible evidence that Ryon suffered an epileptic seizure before he died.
Ryon weighed 35 pounds at the time of his death. He wasn't attending school. There were no presents, toys or Christmas decorations in the home Ryon shared with his mother and Crutchfield on Upper Cahokia Road in Cahokia.
Lohman testified on Wednesday that she saw Crutchfield hit the boy 20 or 30 times on the night of his death.
In exchange for her testimony, prosecutors will allow Lohman, who also is charged with first-degree murder, to plead guilty to aggravated battery of a child with a 15- to 30-year prison term.
Crutchfield is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 19. He could get 20 to 60 years in prison.
Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/12/01/1962947/defense-rests-in-murder-of-6-year.html#ixzz1fLkBAwDF
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RYON SMITH - 6 yo (2005) - Belleville IL
by babyjustice on Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:18 am
I hope that monster gets the max 60 years in prison and someone beats the life out of him.
babyjustice- Superhero (cape and tights included)
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