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Jury convicts Lodi man of torturing his daughter
Justin Beebe could spend his life in prison
A 22-year-old Lodi man could spend much of his life in prison after a jury convicted him this week of torturing his 10-week-old daughter.
Justin Wayne Beebe didn't argue that he injured the infant while he was watching her Aug. 11. He testified at trial that alcohol consumption had left him with no memory of the incident, which included multiple injuries to the baby.
The baby appears to have fully recovered and is meeting milestones expected for children at her age, said Deputy District Attorney Angela Hayes, who prosecuted Beebe during his two-week trial.
Beebe was arrested after his girlfriend came home from her first day back at work after maternity leave. She saw wounds on the baby and tried to take the infant to the hospital, but Beebe injured her and wouldn't let her leave for several hours, according to police and prosecutors.
The mother finally got away and took her daughter to Lodi Memorial Hospital.
Lodi Police Detective Steve Maynard said he had initially been called in to investigate a possible homicide, because doctors didn't think the infant would live. She had brain swelling and was then flown by medical helicopter to a trauma hospital, where she recovered.
The baby had a slap mark on the cheek, bruising to both eyes and bleeding in the top of the brain that indicated blows to the head, Hayes said.
Prosecutors charged Beebe with torture when they learned of the injuries to the baby's buttocks and vaginal area. There was no evidence of a sexual assault, but the wounds were like nothing Hayes has ever seen in other baby beating cases.
"It didn't fall under sexual assault, but just to envision a 10-week-old enduring this, it had to hurt," Hayes said.
Rather than take the case to trial, prosecutors offered Beebe a 24-year prison sentence. His attorney, Michael Platt, countered with 10 years. The case went to trial when they couldn't reach an agreement, and they also disagreed about the torture charge.
"I still don't believe it was torture. I think it was a very bad case of bad parenting and child abuse," Platt said Wednesday.
He said Beebe's alcoholism affected his memory, and that he initially told police different stories because he didn't know what had happened in the home that day.
"My client is very depressed about it because he finally got to the point of understanding that it had to be him that caused the injuries," Platt said. "It was a lose-lose situation."
Jurors spent about three hours deliberating Tuesday before reaching a verdict. Attorneys talked to the jurors afterward, who said the only issue they had to discuss was whether it was torture. They reviewed Beebe's videotaped interview with police, then reached their decision.
The torture charge carries a life sentence, with the first chance at parole in seven years.
Additionally, jurors convicted Beebe of felony child endangerment, corporal injury to a child, domestic violence, making terrorist threats and misdemeanor false imprisonment.
Platt had argued that Beebe and his girlfriend were both fighting with each other, but the jury determined that he was at fault. After the girlfriend came home, she tried to take the baby to seek medical care, but Beebe prevented that for more than two hours.
The young woman suffered injuries that included a bite to the nose, as well as scratches and bruises, Hayes said.
The other charges could add to Beebe's time in prison, which Judge Michael Garrigan will determine at the Sept. 8 sentencing.
The prosecutor was skeptical of Beebe's claims about memory loss regarding the abuse.
"He remembered every other detail," Hayes said. "He remembered drinking (alcohol), bathing (the baby), changing her diaper, dressing her in boys' clothes, watching a movie, heating up a bottle, giving her a bath, when (his girlfriend) came home and he fought with her."
Contact reporter Layla Bohm at layla@lodinews.com.
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SportsGuru wrote on Aug 6, 2009 1:48 PM:
There is no lower form of life than this breed of scum. "
opinionated123 wrote on Aug 4, 2009 2:16 PM:
no1special wrote on Aug 4, 2009 2:04 PM:
opinionated123 wrote on Aug 4, 2009 11:43 AM:
dyan wrote on Jul 31, 2009 9:31 AM:
Acampo wrote on Jul 30, 2009 4:50 PM:
I know these things happen after the fact. But the best type of treatment is prevention. IF the community were to admit there is a problem, we might find a way to avoid these crimes against children. The C.A.P.C. (child abuse prev. council) does great things int he area, but are poorly funded in their efforts. :( "
dogs4you wrote on Jul 30, 2009 4:28 PM:
Acampo wrote on Jul 30, 2009 4:05 PM:
Who is with me????? "
dogs4you wrote on Jul 30, 2009 3:40 PM:
Mrs. S. wrote on Jul 30, 2009 3:19 PM:
Your post may be pretty accurate, but it's graphic and contains crude and offensive language. I don't disagree with it, but, I'm just sayin'... "
commonsense1 wrote on Jul 30, 2009 2:11 PM:
Mrs. S. wrote on Jul 30, 2009 12:57 PM:
Good question, but I don't think she'll go back to him. She took the baby to the hospital, even withstanding his physical assualts. The moms you describe wouldn't have bothered to do that.
Later, when people asked about the baby's injuries, the moms you describe would say she "fell". Sadly, I know moms like that, too. "
gail1 wrote on Jul 30, 2009 10:57 AM:
no1special wrote on Jul 30, 2009 10:21 AM:
LodiReaderFromStockton wrote on Jul 30, 2009 10:14 AM:
commentator wrote on Jul 30, 2009 9:37 AM:
galt mom wrote on Jul 30, 2009 7:46 AM:
pooreastside wrote on Jul 30, 2009 7:42 AM:
lodiborn wrote on Jul 30, 2009 7:31 AM:
LodiGirl wrote on Jul 30, 2009 7:26 AM:
2: I'm glad his attorney did his job this way this piece of flith doesn't get out on a technicality of not having proper representation and really he walked this guy straight to a max sentance. So no deal for scum is the best possible outcome, and I doubt he will live to see parole of any kind. "
jramagic wrote on Jul 30, 2009 7:19 AM:
I say put the perp in a cage with 3 angry, ravenous pitt bulls for a few hours...
Or 3 lions. Bears might be better. As for the lawyer...well, I'll leave him to you. "
jramagic wrote on Jul 30, 2009 7:10 AM:
somebody like that? "
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