BROOKLYN — A Brownsville man convicted of manslaughter for fatally shaking his 7-week-old daughter was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison, according to prosecutors.
Eryk Ford, 24, was found guilty of shaking his daughter Aniyah, throwing her into a car seat sitting on the floor of his apartment, and waiting for more than hour to call 911 on January 15, 2012, the Brooklyn District Attorney said.
Aniyah Ford died weeks later on Feb. 8, and the Medical Examiner found she had brain swelling and hemorrhaging in the brain and eyes, the DA said.
Ford’s defense attorney Amy Rameau said she will file a motion to vacate, or cancel, the verdict because her key witness wasn't allowed to complete his testimony and problematic evidence was presented in trial.
New York pathologist Michael Baden would have provided testimony to challenge the shaken baby syndrome diagnosis, but was not able to return for a second day in court because of scheduling conflicts, according to Rameau.
She also said the District Attorney’s office mistakenly included into evidence a Rikers Island inmate’s disciplinary report that did not belong to her client.
“This throws the conviction into question,” Rameau said. “It’s going to be part of an appeal — this case is not over.”
In response to Rameau's claims, a spokesman for the DA said, "Any motions by the defense will be reviewed by this office.
