Oklahoma appeals court OKs life sentence in toddler’s death

Oklahoma appeals court OKs life sentence in toddler’s death
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the life prison sentence of a 28-year-old man convicted of killing his girlfriend’s 19-month-old daughter.
The appeals court handed down the decision Friday in the case of Scott Allen Bolden, who was convicted by a Tulsa County jury of first-degree murder and child abuse in the May 2013 death of Angel Benjamin.
Prosecutors said the girl had numerous bruises on her body and died of bleeding in the brain. Defense attorneys argued the injuries were accidental.
The child’s mother, 22-year-old Heidi Marie Benjamin, is serving a 14-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in December 2014 to child neglect and permitting child abuse.
Among other things, appellate judges rejected claims that prosecutorial misconduct deprived Bolden of a fair trial.

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