By Staff
Christopher Johnson, convicted in December for the death of his 6-month-old baby, was sentenced to death Wednesday afternoon in a Brewton courtroom.
Circuit Judge Bradley Byrne agreed with the jury's recommendation that Johnson, an Atmore native, be put to death for the murder. Experts testified during the trial that the child died from blunt force trauma.
"The jury recommended the sentence of death. You testified in the trial that you intended to kill your son, under oath. I have accepted the evidence at face value," said Byrne, who admitted he struggled with the decision in the capital case.
Johnson had no reaction to the verdict and did not make any statements in court.
Johnson appeared in court in a wheelchair. Escambia County Sheriff Grover Smith said Johnson, 32, had refused to bathe in recent days and sheriff's department officials were forced to bathe him. Smith said they had to use a taser on Johnson to calm him down for the shower.
Johnson will be turned over to the Alabama Department of Corrections.
See Sunday's edition of The Brewton Standard for more information about the case.