Illinois Woman Asks for Clemency in Shaken Baby Syndrome Case

On Saturday, supporters of Pamela Jacobazzi, convicted of shaking a 10-month-old baby, gathered at the Illinois Capitol to urge the governor to review the case and grant clemency. Three other caregivers who had been falsely accused of child abuse in the area joined Jacobazzi’s attorney in calling for clemency.

 

Jacobazzi, a former daycare worker, was convicted in 1999 of the death of Matthew Czapski, who remained in a coma for over a year before he died. Jacobazzi’s lawyers at the Illinois Innocence Project believe new science around shaken baby syndrome and evidence not presented at her trial point to her innocence. Among the new evidence are details about Czapski’s medical condition that could have caused bleeding in the brain that led to his death. The

State Journal-Register

reports:

Illinois Innocence Project investigator Bill Clutter said Jacobazzi’s defense attorneys failed to introduce pediatric records from Dr. David Nadelman that would have contradicted testimony of prosecutors who claimed Czapski was a healthy baby.

 

“In fact, the records indicate that the child had persistent fevers, was anemic, and during a deposition after Pam was convicted, Dr. Nadelman acknowledged that he suspected the child had internal bleeding because iron supplements he proscribed had no effect on the anemic blood,” Clutter said.

In addition to clemency, Jacobazzi’s attorneys hope to win a new trial at a hearing in November. Jacobazzi remains behind bars and will be up for parole in 2015.

 


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