Son convicted of mother's murder

Thu, Jan 26th 2017, 11:53 PM

A jury on Thursday unanimously convicted a man of the murder of his elderly mother.

Prosecutors contended that Jerome Butler, 57, was the only person who could have his killed 81-year-old mother, Princess Butler, as there was no sign of forced entry in the home they shared at Petersfield Road in Highbury Park.

Police investigators extracted photos and videos of Ms. Butler on the bedroom floor with a pillow over her face from her son's phone. The convict said that he took the images to show how he "found the body".

However, in his closing address to the jury, prosecutor Uel Johnson said Butler did not seek to help his mother because he "knew she was dead".

Defense lawyer David Cash suggested that Ms. Butler could have suffered from a seizure and choked on her tongue. He pointed out that Butler family friend Dr. Austin Davis determined that she had died of natural causes after examining the body.

On the other hand, Johnson noted that Davis' speciality was gynecology and that his evidence could not be given the same weight as that of forensic pathologist Dr. Caryn Sands.

The pathologist observed blunt force trauma to Ms. Butler's head, neck and intestines during the post mortem and listed the cause of death as possible asphyxia.

She also had bruises and lacerations to the face, Sands said.

Justice Indra Charles will hold a sentencing hearing on March 31.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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