Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today announced that Superior Court Justice Edwin J. Gale sentenced Brian Verry, DOB 5/3/76, to 20 years with 15 to serve for the 2006 child abuse of his daughter, who was 55-days old at the time of the incident. Verry was found guilty by a jury on January 14, 2011 of one count of first degree child abuse, one count of felony assault causing serious bodily injury, and one count of simple assault. This was a retrial of the defendant with the first trial ending in April 2010 in a hung jury.
Justice Gale sentenced Verry to 20 years with 15 to serve and five years suspended with probation on one count of first degree child abuse; 20 years suspended with probation on one count of felony assault resulting in serious bodily injury; and one year to serve on one count of simple assault; with all sentences to run concurrently. Justice Gale also imposed a no contact order and mental health counseling.
“There is no excuse or justification for the abuse of a child. Our thoughts go out to the victim and the family, and hope they can move forward knowing the abuser is behind bars and cannot hurt another child,” said Attorney General Kilmartin. “I commend the Narragansett Police Department and the compassionate physicians and staff at both South County and Hasbro Children’s Hospitals for their work in ensuring justice for a victim who was too young to ask for help.”
The first degree child abuse, abusive head trauma, was committed on the evening of March 7, 2006 in the Narragansett home of the defendant. The defendant physically struck his daughter, then 55 days old, resulting in a skull fracture and subdural hematoma. The evidence produced at trial also showed that the defendant squeezed and struck the child since birth until March 7, 2006, resulting in multiple rib fractures and other broken bones.
The case was prosecuted by Stephen Regine, Assistant Attorney General, on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General.
The Narragansett Police investigated the matter, with Lt. Timothy Lackie and Deputy Chief Gerry Driscoll as lead investigators. The Child Safe Clinic at Habsro Children’s Hospital, led by Carol Jenny, MD, and South County Hospital assisted detectives.