August 15, 2013, by Monica Alonzo, Phoenix New Times
Drayton Witt of Tucson spent 10 years behind bars after being convicted in 2002 of shaking to death his girlfriend’s 4-month old son, Steven Holt.
And he likely would have served 10 more years for the murder of Steven had the Arizona Justice Project — along with retired British pediatric neurosurgeon Norman Guthkelch and several other medical experts — not stepped in to re-examine his case.
Guthkelch is credited with developing the medical theory in 1971 that laid the groundwork for what later would became known as shaken baby syndrome. He apparently was dismayed by what he read in 2008 when he was asked to review Witt’s case…
Medical professionals pointed to the triad of symptoms in the deceased child as a clear case of shaken baby syndrome, or non-accidental head trauma. The Justice Project’s strategy was, in part, to point to new medical evidence that demonstrates that other conditions can mimic symptoms long considered to be present only in cases of abuse…
Similarly, forensic pathologist John Plunkett cites in one of his studies that even short falls have caused those exact symptoms on young children…
Justice for Jeffrey Havard 