BOY'S FATHER TO STAND TRIAL.Byline: Peter Hartlaub Daily News Staff Writer A judge ruled Monday that a father should stand trial in the North Hollywood murder of his son, following new evidence from a doctor and a detective in the notorious child abuse case, now 3 years old. David Helms, 37, is accused of beating 2-year-old Lance Helms to death in April 1995. His girlfriend, Eve Wingfield, originally was charged with the crime, which led to changes in California's child welfare laws. Wingfield was sentenced to 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to felony felony (fĕl`ənē), any grave crime, in contrast to a misdemeanor, that is so declared in statute or was so considered in common law. child endangerment, but she was released after new evidence surfaced indicating that the father may have committed the crime, officials said. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Deputy District Attorney Eleanor Hunter buttressed but·tress n. 1. A structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement. 2. Something resembling a buttress, as: a. The flared base of certain tree trunks. b. that evidence for Van Nuys Municipal Court Judge Gregg Marcus with testimony from pediatric surgery Pediatric surgery (sometimes spelled paediatric surgery) is a subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Many pediatric surgeons practice at children's hospitals. specialist Sharon Muenchow. Muenchow explained that a variety of internal injuries caused the boy to lose a half-liter of blood after a beating, when his flu-stricken body probably held less than a full liter. Muenchow testified that the boy's liver ``exploded,'' accounting for most of the bleeding. ``It appeared to be (torn) almost completely in half,'' she said. Muenchow said the 30-pound toddler probably went into shock five minutes after he was beaten and died in 10 minutes. Previous medical testimony indicated that Lance died up to 60 minutes after the injury, when Wingfield was home and David Helms had left his apartment. Helms is scheduled to enter his pleas to charges of felony murder The felony murder rule is a legal doctrine current in some common law countries that broadens the crime of murder in two ways. First, when a victim dies accidentally or without specific intent in the course of an applicable felony, it increases what might have been manslaughter (or , assault and child abuse at a June 15 arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted . |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion