Trial set to begin for mom in toddlers death A Visalia woman accused of not protecting her daughter will begin fighting for her freedom this week. Nicole Lee, the mother of 3-year-old Natalynn Miller, who died in 2009, will go on trial more than four years after her arrest. Lee was arrested in August 2009 after the District Attorneys Office investigated Natalynns death and said they found cause to make an arrest. Visalia police didnt see cause for an arrest. Lee is accused of failing to protect her daughter from Lees boyfriend, Ryann Jones. Jones, who was originally charged with first-degree murder and torture, was convicted of second-degree murder and child abuse late last year. He was arrested five months before Lee. His attorney plans to appeal that conviction after several jurors said it was a compromise verdict. Lee is facing felony child endangerment and a special allegation that the child endangerment led to great bodily injury or death. If convicted, she could spend nearly 10 years in prison. The charges stem from Natalynns 2009 death in which prosecutors say Jones, who was watching Natalynn at the time, killed the toddler by blunt force trauma to the head. Initially, police werent sure whether the girls death was accidental or an act of rage, but later arrested Jones after an autopsy showed bruises to the girls head and chest. Jones attorney, Phillip Cherney said the toddler choked on pizza and bruises were caused by paramedics performing CPR and when the girl had run into a sliding glass window. He has asserted his innocence from the beginning and I have no reason to doubt him, Cherney said after the verdict in December. Its a compromise verdict. I am not sure, though, if the jury knows the stiff penalties for both charges. Jones was sentenced to 25-years-to-life in prison. Hes currently at North Kern State Prison awaiting transfer to state prison. Brenda Broker, the prosecutor who headed Jones case and will lead the case against Lee, said Natalynn died at the hands of a jealous man who wanted more time with his girlfriend. She will lay out the case against Lee in hopes of proving that Lee knew Jones was dangerous and could be violent. Anthony Fultz, an assistant district attorney, said in order to seek the charges such as those against Lee, prosecutors would have to feel that theres prior knowledge that the victim wasnt safe. Prosecutors say friends of Lee would warn her about Jones. Lee and her lawyer, Daniel Harralson maintain Jones had a better relationship with Natalynn than she had with her own father. They were seen smiling and laughing in pictures during trial. [Troy Miller] wouldnt even make the trip to go see her, Harralson said. The things that are being said about Ryann are not true. Broker also showed a picture of Natalynn and her father smiling at the camera just weeks before her death. Miller, who sat through Jones trial, was among four family members who spoke at Jones sentencing, which came just shy of five years after the toddlers death. With anger and frustration in his voice, Miller looked over at Jones as he spoke, calling him an idiot and using profanity to describe the 30-year-old Jones and his attorney. There are no words, Miller said at the sentencing. There really are no words to describe the amount pain and loss. I loved Natalynn with all my heart. He expects to attend Lees trial. The trial is expected to begin today with pretrial motions, but jury selection may not occur until later this week because of an ongoing trial in the same courtroom that Lees case will be heard. Lee, 34, was in court most days during the Jones trial and in return, Jones family will attend Lees trial. Kenny Jones said his brother asked that the family support Lee, stating she did nothing wrong. Nicole has always been very supportive of Ryann and Ryann wanted the same from his family for Nicole, Kenny Jones said. He hopes the jury will see through the prosecutors theory.
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 16:20:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015