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Father Accused Of Killing Son Testifies

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By THOMAS W. KRAUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 8, 2008

TAMPA - A man accused of killing his 10-month-old son told a jury Wednesday that he referred to the boy using a curse word, pretended to hit him with a belt and said that he never liked the baby, just to get a rise out of his sister and friends.

"That's just, at the current time, how I was talking," Javon Deniro Blackmon, 31, testified. "That didn't mean I don't like my baby. The baby has nothing to do with it."

Blackmon said he realizes his language and actions were inappropriate. He has denied hurting his son.

On Tuesday, Blackmon's sister testified that she often scolded her brother for calling his youngest son, Demetrius, by a curse word, although she said Blackmon called many people by the same name.

Also Tuesday, one family friend testified that she saw Blackmon standing over Demetrius holding a child's belt. She kicked him and told him not to do anything. Another family friend testified that Blackmon told her Demetrius never liked him and he never liked Demetrius.

Blackmon was arrested in 2006, a year after his son died. Sheriff's investigators said it took them a year to sift through conflicting statements before they arrested Blackmon.

On July 26, 2005, Blackmon dropped his wife at work and took his children to his sister's house. He testified he played videogames upstairs while his sister and two family friends watched all of their children.

About 11 p.m., the boy's mother gave him a bottle and put him to bed. Blackmon said he awoke a half hour later and noticed the boy wasn't breathing.

On Wednesday, Blackmon testified that he got scared and tried to console Demetrius.

"I automatically tried to breathe some air into him," Blackmon said. It didn't seem to work, so he went to get the boy's mother to help, he said.

They called 911 about 12:15 a.m.

On a tape recording of the 911 call, the mother, Sonya Hannor, sounds calm as she describes the baby's breathing problems. In the background, Demetrius is heard gasping.

Blackmon said he stayed with the other two children, sending the mother to the hospital to see what was wrong.
Demetrius died about a week later.

Doctors found bruising and swelling on the side of his face and back of his head. A medical examiner said both optic nerves had hemorrhaging, a sign of severe head injury.

Defense attorneys have argued that Blackmon was never alone with Demetrius the day before the baby awoke with breathing problems. The injuries, they argued, could have happened hours before anyone noticed, though the medical examiner testified that the injuries could have caused immediate unconsciousness.

Closing arguments and deliberation are expected today.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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