Sacto 9-1-1: Motives debated over why Sacramento boy, 4, killed

By Andy Furillo
afurillo@sacbee.com

The attorneys finished their closing arguments in the Jonathan Lamar Perry murder trial today with the prosecutor saying the defendant acted out of anger when he beat his girlfriend's 4-year-old son to death. The defense lawyer contended his client didn't mean to kill the boy.

Deputy District Attorney Jeff Ritschard said Perry (left) "brutally assaulted" Jahmauree Allen in their North Highlands apartment three years ago.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant's massive size - 6-foot-3, 270 pounds - compared to the diminutive, 3-foot-7, 42-pound boy, combined with what Ritschard described as an "attack" on Allen, added up to conscious disregard for human life and a second-degree murder case.

Ritschard said Perry slammed the boy into a wall, punched him in the stomach, and then threw him into the wall again, out of anger over Jahmauree wetting his pants.

Paramedics got the call from the Oakhollow Drive apartment around 3:50 a.m. on July 21, 2008, and transported the boy to the hospital. Jahmauree died later that day.

"There is no act that would make that level of discipline necessary," Ritschard told the 10-woman, two-man jury. "And there is no way that Mr. Perry did not ... know the amount of force he used was dangerous to human life."

Assistant Public Defender Mickey Sampson said that Perry was raised as an only child and that he often endured physical, disciplinary beatings as a child. Sampson said that Perry's life experience taught him that "pain, punishment and humiliation" was party of the potty-training experience.

"Mr. Perry's intent was not to injure or kill Jahmauree Allen," Sampson told the jury. "His intent was to provide training so he wouldn't pee on himself. His intent was to discipline, punish, shame, and mostly to get Jahmauree past this particular problem."

Sampson asked the jury to either acquit his client or convict him of involuntary manslaughter.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Lloyd G. Connelly said he will instruct the jury on Thursday.

Call The Bee's Andy Furillo, (916) 321-1141.