Today's winner of the Dumbass Award

[ATL Muskie]

Jury: Dad Killed Baby Over Broken Xbox
By MARYCLAIRE DALE

Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA — A man who spent long hours each day playing video games was convicted Tuesday of killing his 17-month-old daughter when she pulled down his Xbox console.

Prosecutors believe Tyrone Spellman pummeled Alayiah Turman, cracking her skull several times, while her pregnant mother napped in another room in September 2006.

Jurors rejected arguments that Spellman confessed to protect the mother and convicted him of third-degree murder and child endangerment. He was acquitted of first-degree murder. He could be sentenced to about 23 to 47 years in prison.

Spellman fled the house after the beating, and the mother, Mia Turman, had no reason to go in the bedroom where the baby was found, prosecutors said.

"He (Spellman) spent six to seven hours a day in there playing Xbox," Assistant District Attorney James Berardinelli said.

Spellman, 27, of Philadelphia, confessed to police the next day, but defense lawyer Bobby Hoof noted that his statement came after 24 hours in custody.

"He's not happy with the verdict. He does not agree with the verdict, but he respects the jury verdict," Hoof said of Spellman.

An autopsy showed that Alayiah had suffered a broken arm about two weeks before she died — an injury that city social workers did not see on two visits to the house in late August, when they found the baby well.

The city took custody of the couple's second daughter, born after Alayiah's death.

[boozehound]

What a freakin' loser. I hope that guy gets everything that is coming to him in prison.

[XU05and07]

There should be a test that you have to pass in order to have kids...

Question #1 (Circle your answer):

Do you play 7 hours of video games a day? Yes or No

If you have circled yes, please move on to question #2
If you have circled no, please skip to question #30

Question #2 (Circle your answer):

Do you have a job? Yes or No

If you have circled yes, please skip to question #10
If you circled no, please move on to question #3

Question #3 (Circle your answer):

What is the reason that you do not have a job?
A. Video games get in the way
B. I'm an idiot
C. No one will hire me because of lack of motivation and people skills
D. No time to look for a job
E. None of the above

If you answered E. None of the above, please move on to question #10
If you circled A, B, C, or D, please put down your pencil and turn in the test...you have failed

[ATL Muskie]

The dude spent six to seven hrs a day playing XBox. Get a freaking job, dude. I wish I could sit around and play XBox all day. Hell, I wish I could BUY a damn XBox. I can't stand people who have enough money to buy XBox, brand new cell phones, etc. but can't seem to scrape up enough $ to meet basic needs. Priorities.....

[spongebob]

The dude spent six to seven hrs a day playing XBox. Get a freaking job, dude. I wish I could sit around and play XBox all day. Hell, I wish I could BUY a damn XBox. I can't stand people who have enough money to buy XBox, brand new cell phones, etc. but can't seem to scrape up enough $ to meet basic needs. Priorities.....


Couldn't agree more. Here's to hoping he finds out soon what it is really like to have someone "play" with his "xbox."

[Snipe]

Thin the herd

[boozehound]

Also of note...

They were apparently such good parents that they had at least semi-regular visits from a social worker. Thank God they took the other kid. If they're smart they will never give it back. I would imagine that the Mom is a pretty crappy parent too, based on the kind of loser 'baby daddy' she has sitting around playing XBox all day long and beating infants.

[blobfan]

Thin the herd

You're supposed to thin them out BEFORE they start pro-creating. Frankly, until people on public support are required to take birth control, the downward spiral is going to continue. Yes, I'm making the assumption that a guy who plays 7 hours a day of video games and a woman with 2 children who can sleep through a beating are on public support. Call me crazy. And I know that people not on public support also abuse their kids but the truth is, the poorer you are, the more likely you are to take it out on your kids. We've got to start somewhere.

[GoMuskies]

As a parent, stories like this are absolutely heartbreaking.

[Raoul Duke]

Is the guy who knocked up his girlfriend's 11 year old daughter. Better luck next time!

[boozehound]

I don't want to start a big moral debate here, but I would be fine with execution and/or sterilization for people like that. Particularly the guy who molested and impregnated the 11 year old. Hopefully he comes out of prison with his butthole so ravaged that they can't even repair it surgically.

[DC Muskie]

Thank God I didn't win. I was sure I was nominated.

[xuirish]

I don't even hope the guy who impregnated the 11 year old makes it out of prison. he doesn't deserve that right.

[joebba]

Dumbass award? That is being too kind. More like sick excuse for a human being.

[boozehound]

I don't even hope the guy who impregnated the 11 year old makes it out of prison. he doesn't deserve that right.

Yeah. I realized that after I posted that. Hopefully he dies in prison with a horribly ravaged butthole.

[PM Thor]

Since it is a new day, I submit that the Father of the Boy Scouts who got robbed at gunpoint is todays dumbass.

Arrested for attempted robbery/trespassing. What an idiot.

[Billy]

Your tax dollars at work:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-nfl-congress&prov=ap&type=lgns

[joebba]

Well... since the "asses" are out.... I have always thought anything is funnier if there is an ass in the front of back of it.

Jackass, dumbass, asswipe, asshole, fat-ass, half-ass, stupid-ass, pain-in-the-ass, asinine, sweet-ass, nice-ass

You get the picture even if you don't want to.