PEORIA – A South Peoria man has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2001 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter, but he may be out of jail soon.
A jury in Peoria found Ian Watkins guilty Thursday in the death of Kei-Anna Moore, according to The (Peoria) Journal-Star. But the 31-year-old man has already spent more than 9 years behind bars after being convicted in 2003 of murder in the case. That conviction was later overturned. A jury at a second trial in 2006 didn’t reach a verdict.
The involuntary manslaughter charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. Peoria County Circuit Judge Steve Kouri set a hearing for Monday to decide whether Watkins will be free on bond before his Aug. 25 sentencing.
Watkins’ family was calm as the verdict was read, but Moore’s relatives were angry.
“It’s not fair. He killed her and he goes free,” one said while crying outside the courtroom.
Watkins was taking care of the little girl and her brothers when another family member found her unresponsive.
Watkins claimed the girl chocked on a hot dog that he tried to dislodge from her throat. His attorney, Kevin Lowe, said Watson had low intelligence and mental problems and ended his closing argument with a statement Watkins made to police: “I panicked; I didn’t know what to do. I was doing the best that I could.”
Prosecutors Jodi Hoos and Nancy Mermelstein argued that testimony from several doctors indicated the little girl died of shaken baby syndrome. They told jurors the manslaughter charge was too light.PEORIA – A South Peoria man has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2001 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter, but he may be out of jail soon.
A jury in Peoria found Ian Watkins guilty Thursday in the death of Kei-Anna Moore, according to The (Peoria) Journal-Star. But the 31-year-old man has already spent more than 9 years behind bars after being convicted in 2003 of murder in the case. That conviction was later overturned. A jury at a second trial in 2006 didn’t reach a verdict.
The involuntary manslaughter charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. Peoria County Circuit Judge Steve Kouri set a hearing for Monday to decide whether Watkins will be free on bond before his Aug. 25 sentencing.