Ohio man enters Alford plea in death of girlfriend's son
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man has entered a plea to charges in the death of his girlfriend's 11-month-old son and faces decades in state prison.
The Blade reports 32-year-old Eric Mathis entered an Alford plea in a Toledo courtroom Friday in the beating death of 11-month-old Nehemiah Wright on New Year's Day 2018. While the plea is not an admission of guilt, it acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him.
Mathis was charged with aggravated murder after an autopsy showed Nehemiah died from blunt force trauma. Mathis told first responders he'd left the child, who wasn't breathing, in a bathtub.
A plea agreement calls for Mathis to serve 20 years to life.
His defense attorney said Mathis likely faced a longer sentence if he'd gone to trial and was convicted.
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Information from: The Blade, http://www.toledoblade.com/