Thursday, March 7, 2013

Dad convicted of 1st-degree murder in beating death of 23-month-old son (Charlotte, North Carolina)

The killer dad is identified as ANDRE EARL HAMPTON. 

http://myfox8.com/2013/03/07/nc-father-convicted-of-killing-of-23-month-old-son/

NC father convicted of killing of 23-month-old son

Posted on: 8:54 am, March 7, 2013, by Web Staff

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Mecklenburg jury found a Charlotte man guilty Wednesday in the 2008 beating death of his 23-month-old son.

The Charlotte Observer reported that a jury deliberated about five hours over two days before reaching their verdicts in the trial of 27-year-old Andre Earl Hampton.

Hampton was convicted of first-degree murder and felony child abuse. He confessed to beating Ellijah Burger with a toothbrush, a hairbrush and a belt, saying his son wouldn’t eat his soup.

Jurors must now decide if he should be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. The trial resumes on Monday.

Defense attorney Norman Butler told jurors during his closing argument that Hampton never intended to kill Ellijah and there’s no proof he did.