Verdict Overturned in Baby Microwave Death - Updated

(Dayton, Ohio) The conviction of China Arnold in the baby microwave death has been overturned by the Second District Court of Appeals. The case will now be returned to the trial court for further proceedings.

The conviction was reversed based on prosecutorial misconduct and the recantation of the state’s star witness, Linda Williams, according to Arnold’s defense attorney, Jon Paul Rion.

After Arnold was convicted, Williams came forward and said that she lied to the jury about Arnold confessing that she put her daughter Paris Talley in a microwave oven.

Therefore, it seems assertions that China Arnold placed 28-day-old Paris Talley into the microwave are questionable.

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China Arnold Gets Life for Baby Microwave Death - Updated
[Previous 9/8/08 post]
(Dayton, Ohio) After the jury convicted China Arnold and deadlocked on the death penalty, the maximum sentence she could see is life in prison without parole. That's exactly what Arnold received today for microwaving her baby to death.

"No adjectives exist to describe this heinous atrocity," said Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Mary Wiseman, who added that the crime was "beyond all human and moral comprehension."

Arnold, who remains in the Montgomery County Jail, chose not to be present for the sentencing. Some of Arnold's supporters, who packed the courtroom, cried out when the sentence was announced.

Wiseman presided over Arnold's second trial, which started Aug. 11 and ended Sept. 3, after jurors deadlocked during the penalty phase.

Arnold's attorney, Jon Paul Rion, asked for the chance of parole after 25 years because she was drunk when 28-day-old Paris Talley was killed.

"She regrets, obviously, that she had been drinking at all, Rion said. "China would have been there to understand what was happening."

Rion also read a statement from Arnold, that started, "My name is China Arnold and I am innocent of these charges."

Evidently, China Arnold continues to deny culpability in the death. Also, according to prosecutor David Franceschelli, Arnold feels no "genuine remorse."

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Baby Microwave Death
[Previous 11/28/06 post]
(Dayton, Ohio) Mother China Arnold, 26, was arrested by Dayton Police yesterday on a charge of aggravated murder for allegedly causing the death of her three and one-half weeks old daughter. Authorities believe that death resulted from the baby being burned in a microwave oven.

From DaytonDailyNews.com:

Ken Betz, director of the Montgomery County Coroner's Office, said, "We have reason to believe and scientific evidence to support that a microwave oven might have been involved in the death of this child." The cause of death was ruled a homicide at the time, by hyperthermia due to thermal injury.

The baby, Paris Talley, died in August 2005. Since that time, police investigators have been gathering evidence to support an arrest warrant.

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[Previous posts]
[Update 11/29/06]
From DaytonDailyNews.com:

Arnold, arrested by police Monday on a warrant, was arraigned Tuesday via video in Dayton Municipal Court, and heard Judge Bill Littlejohn place her bond at $1 million on an aggravated murder charge in Paris Talley's death. Arnold's preliminary hearing was set for Dec. 7.

Interestingly, Sgt. Gary White of the Dayton police stated that the Arnold family has made "no efforts to get updates of this baby's death. Only one person has kept in touch, (and it was) not one of their family."

A little odd, don't you think?


[Update 02/11/08]
China Arnold, 27, gets another trial.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Visiting Judge John Kessler on Monday afternoon granted a mistrial in the China Arnold aggravated murder case.

The judge cited new evidence brought forward by the defense Monday. The case will be returned to the docket for rescheduling, and Kessler ordered that Arnold continue to be held in the Montgomery County Jail pending another trial.

Apparently the new evidence has something to do with Arnold's claim that she is not the perpetrator. The prosecution and defense have been ordered not to discuss the case outside the court.


[Update 8/29/08]
(Dayton, Ohio) China Arnold, 28, was convicted of aggravated murder today by a jury in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

Arnold showed little emotion as the verdict was read, but was weeping as sheriff's deputies led her out of the courtroom. Some of her supporters began to sob, a few of them leaving the courtroom immediately after the verdict was read.

The sentencing phase begins tomorrow when the jury will decide whether Arnold deserves the death penalty. Judge Mary Wiseman cannot order the death penalty unless the jury recommends it. More here.


[Update 5/13/11 post]

Third trial conviction.