A Maine man who’s serving 15 years for his infant son’s death 40 years ago is appealing to the state supreme court.
An attorney for 64-four-year-old Burton “Ben” Hagar contends his statements over the years about the death of 4-month-old Nathan Hagar are inconsistent and unreliable. The appeal also questions a reliability of a police officer’s recollection about a pillow with mucus on it.
Last year, Hagar pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a judge ruled the infant’s death was a homicide, not sudden infant death syndrome. But it could be withdrawn if he wins his appeal.
Defense lawyer Verne Paradie questions the testimony about a pillow. The infant’s mother, Venus Nappi, testified that neither she nor Burton Hagar had ever put pillows in the child’s crib.
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