The Idaho Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of a former prison guard convicted of shaking and beating a baby to death 12 years ago. Edward Stevens was found guilty of first-degree murder in 1999 and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the the death of 11-month old Casey Whiteside, who died from massive head trauma in 1996.
Stevens’ initial trial ended in a hung jury. Stevens appealed his conviction and requested a new trial but the High Court ruled against him this week in a 4-1 decision. Retired Justice Linda Copple Trout, who was filling in for Chief Justice Daniel Eismann, dissented. Eismann recused himself from the case because he was the presiding judge over Stevens’ trials as a district court judge. (Idaho Statesman)