Witness paints image of violence at infant beating trial
Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia suggested the mother of a severely-beaten infant was attempting to “put the spotlight” on her client as a controlling low-life to make him look guilty, the Toronto Sun reports.
And when he took the stand, John Rosa refuted allegations from his former partner that he tossed his son in the air like a football.
“I might have been young and immature but I never threw my son like a ball. I have common sense,” Rosa recently told the court.
According to the newspaper report, court has heard the woman allegedly elbowed and bit Rosa while they showered together, however Rosa denied sharing a shower with her since her sixth month of pregnancy because of her body image issues.
He also agreed, on questioning from Gadhia, that she was never violent with him.
During Gadhia’s second day of cross-examination, the mother – who is in another relationship and expecting her second child in a few weeks – stopped testifying when she felt possible contractions, according to the Toronto Sun.
Justice Ian MacDonnell informed the jury that the witness “was experiencing what may or may not be early signs of labour” and was taken to a downtown hospital, the newspaper reports. The jury was later sent home for the day.
John Rosa, 23, is charged with aggravated assault, criminal negligence causing bodily harm and assault in the beating of his then seven-week-old infant son in 2010, the Toronto Sun reports.
Gadhia, Rosa’s lawyer, suggested the mother of the now three-year-old child, who is now severely disabled after suffering a skull fracture and seven broken ribs, among other injuries, was deliberately painting Rosa in an unfavourable light, trying to incriminate him.
The mother, who cannot legally be identified, denied the suggestion, saying Rosa beat her on a previous occasion, kicking her in the stomach near her after-birth stitches.
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