Prison for Killing Baby 19 Years Ago

(Greenville, South Carolina) Last year, a 45-year-old woman, Elaine Theresa Patterson, contacted authorities and confessed to killing her 8-month-old son in 1988. Prosecutors filed a charge of murder against Patterson but later reduced it to voluntary manslaughter.

Despite defense attorney John Farnsworth's request for leniency, Judge Mark Hayes sentenced Patterson to 30 years in prison under 1988 sentencing guidelines. Judge Hayes indicated that Patterson already received leniency through a reduced charge.

Frankly, I don't see any substantive reason for mitigating the sentence.