Lawyers representing the man convicted of murdering Bella Bond returned to court Friday to try and get the charges reduced.
Bella Bond was known for months only as "Baby Doe" as authorities struggled to identify her after her body washed up on a Boston Harbor island in June 2015. A composite image of the girl was shared by millions on social media.
Michael McCarthy, the ex-boyfriend of Bella's mother Rachelle, is serving a 20-year term for the murder of the 2-year-old.
McCarthy wanted the jury's verdict reduced from second-degree murder to manslaughter.
In court Friday, Jonathan Shapiro - defense attorney for McCarthy - said the emotion of Bella's death influenced the jury and turned them against his client.
"We think there was critical weakness in Commonwealth's case as to evidence of how and why Bella Bond died. The evidence is virtually absent. The med examiner unable to testify to cause of death." Shapiro to court in defense of McCarthy's motion to reduce sentence @boston25
— Crystal Haynes (@crystalhaynes) March 16, 2018
>> Man guilty of 2nd degree murder for Bella Bond's death, jury decides
Judge Janet Sanders pointed out that the jury was given involuntary manslaughter as an option during deliberations, despite Shapiro's objection during trial.
Ultimately, Sanders denied McCarthy's motion to reduce his sentence from murder to involuntary manslaughter, saying: "There was ample evidence to find this verdict."
#BREAKING
— Crystal Haynes (@crystalhaynes) March 16, 2018
Judge Janet Sanders denies McCarthy's motion to reduce his sentence from murder to involuntary manslaughter in #BellaBond #BabyDoe case.
"There was ample evidence to find this verdict" @boston25
.@DADanConley on Mccarthy's motion denial
— Crystal Haynes (@crystalhaynes) March 16, 2018
"The jury in this case heard testimony for three weeks at trial. They deliberated for four full days. Their verdict was just, fair, and grounded in the evidence, and so was Judge Sanders' decision."
MORE AT 5! @boston25
"Second degree murder means justice for Bella. Finally justice for Bella," said Meghan Fewtrell, Bella's godmother, after the conviction.
Rachelle Bond was charged with accessory after the fact and testified against McCarthy in the murder trial, which lasted just over three weeks.
>> Timeline: The 'Baby Doe' investigation from the beginning
McCarthy's former friend Michael Sprinsky helped crack the case for police and testified in the trial.
"He's a sick psychopath who got what he deserved," he said.
Bella's biological father Joe Amoroso also testified in the trial, as well as neighbors and state troopers.
The state argued that McCarthy killed Bella. Rachelle Bond testified in court that McCarthy punched Bella to death one night when Bella wasn’t wanting to go to bed. He allegedly said, “it was her time to die, there was a demon in her.” Bond and others testified that McCarthy was into the occult, demons, astrology and reiki.
McCarthy’s attorney alleged that Bond was actually the murderer, and that’s why she hid it from everyone she knew, including Bella’s father, Amoroso. The state contends that Bond was scared of McCarthy and she said he threatened to kill her. The jury did not believe that argument.
Cox Media Group