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Father Convicted Of Killing 10-Month-Old Son In 2005

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By THOMAS W. KRAUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 9, 2008

TAMPA - When the clerk read the jury's verdict, that Javon Deniro Blackmon is guilty of killing his 10-month-old son, Blackmon pursed his lips and closed his eyes.

Slowly, he bowed his head.

Minutes later, Circuit Judge William Fuente said a life sentence is mandatory. There was no need for another hearing.

In the back of the courtroom Thursday, Eva Hannor, the child's grandmother, wept quietly. Hannor has custody of Blackmon's two other sons.

"I'm glad it's over," she said.

Shortly after midnight July 27, 2005, Demetrius Blackmon's parents called 911. The boy was rushed to University Community Hospital. Six days later, he was pronounced dead.

This week, prosecutors told a jury that doctors found a bruise on the boy's face in the shape of a hand. He also had a bruise on the back of his head and severe hemorrhaging inside his skull.

It took nearly a year after Demetrius died to make an arrest. Hillsborough County sheriff's investigators said they had to sift through conflicting statements from other people who were with Demetrius the day before his parents called 911.
Defense attorneys tried to convince the jury that Demetrius' injuries could have occurred as long as 24 hours before his parents noticed the problem. All day, Demetrius was with his father, his father's sister and two family friends.
Assistant Public Defender Theda James told the jurors that prosecutors and law enforcement charged Blackmon simply because he was the last person to be with Demetrius. There were no witnesses who saw Demetrius get injured, she said.

"The fact that he's here just means they chose him," James said. "They said 'Well, a baby is dead, someone has to go to jail.' "

Witnesses, however, said Blackmon, 31, used to call Demetrius by a curse word instead of his name. A family friend saw him standing over the boy with a belt and she told him not to do anything to the boy. Another friend said Blackmon told her the boy didn't like him and he didn't like the boy.

The jury returned the guilty verdict in about 21/2 hours.

At 11 p.m. on July 26, 2005, Blackmon and Demetrius' mother fell asleep on the couch. About midnight, Blackmon woke her to say the baby wasn't breathing. He said he tried to blow air into his son's lungs.

A medical examiner said, with the severity of the injuries, Demetrius likely fell into unconsciousness immediately after he was beaten.

Demetrius' mother, Sonya Hannor, testified under subpoena. She has maintained that her boyfriend is innocent.

Her mother said she can't remember the last time she and Sonya spoke before court this week. She said she hopes they can reconcile but she is still upset that Sonya supported Blackmon.

"She was on his side when she should have been with us," Eva Hannor said.

The other two sons, ages 71/2 and 5, have remained in therapy, Hannor said.

"They still think about their little brother," she said.

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

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