Tony and Marcia Dooley have both been found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of their son Randal.The four-man, eight-woman jury spent almost three days deliberating the fate of the parents, who badly abused the 7-year-old boy before he died in September 1998.
The panel had heard months of sickening testimony about how Marcia Dooley had mistreated her step-son, beating him constantly, and in one infamous case, forcing him to eat his own vomit. It was that kind of disgusting testimony that may have ultimately swayed the jury, who nonetheless spent a long time considering their options.
The night before Randal died, the child suffered a seizure due to a brain hemorrhage Ms. Dooley placed him in a bath of cold water and shovelled ice into his mouth in an attempt to revive him. Then Mr. Dooley pushed her out of the bathroom and left Randal in the tub in the dark. An autopsy found that Randal had 13 broken ribs — some broken more recently than others — as well as four separate brain injuries, a lacerated liver, a crushed adrenal gland, and a tapestry of cuts and welts over his entire body. He also had pneumonia
from CP24
The Last Word
Marcia Dooley will be living in a jail cell for at least 18 years. Her husband, Tony, will also be behind bars for over 13. That’s the final judgment from a Toronto court, which sentenced the couple for second-degree murder Friday, for the killing of their 7-year-old son, Randal.
Marcia, who sat unmoved through months of gruesome testimony about the abuse the boy suffered at her hands, sobbed quietly when the decision was delivered. The couple had previously been convicted of second-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence. But it was up to a judge to decide how long they’d serve before being considered for release.
Superior Court Justice Eugene Ewaschuk derided Marcia Dooley as a “cruel and evil stepmother”, and termed Tony Dooley a “coward” who “ignored Randal's plight as Marcia's whipping boy.” The court heard an impassioned plea for an even stiffer penalty from Crown Attorney Rita Zaied, along with victim impact statements. But she seemed satisfied with the outcome.
The parents' lawyers claim the pair should have been found guilty of manslaughter. Both plan to appeal.
Nixy said:I heard she already go tbeat her firat day in jail! She deserves that and more! I hope they stick a spiky post so far up both of their asses that neither can ever sit again!