CHARLIE LeBLANC - 4 Weeks (2011) - Jefferson Cty (NW nr LA border) TX

A sobbing mother watched Judge John Stevens sentence her estranged
husband to 40 years in prison for injuries that robbed their son of his
vision and could leave him with life-long medical problems.
In February, Jason LeBlanc admitted to Port Arthur Police that he was
angered by his son's crying. He squeezed four week old Charlie's head
and chest for several minutes. Charlie is now five months old.
Doctors found 26 injuries on the boy including bleeding to the brain, a cut liver and 14 fractured ribs.
"Something has to be done...if we don't make a stand no one else
will. He went through more pain at 28 days old then we'll ever go
through in our lives," says Charlie's Great Aunt Misty Janeaux.
Family members stood outside the Jefferson County Courthouse with
signs spelling out a young boys injuries for all the world to see.
"Everyday is a fight for him and we don't know because he can't talk to
us. May not ever talk to us," adds Janeaux.
Injuries Charlie LeBlanc suffered at the hands of his own father.
Charlie's family handed out blue ribbons to people passing by. They
stand for child abuse awareness.
Inside, Charlie's mother Chelsee walked to court awaiting the
sentencing of her estranged husband. "Jason's not living this life
trying to take care of my baby. He doesn't have to deal with this," says
Chelsee.
Jason LeBlanc's attorney says his client understands what he has
done. LeBlanc wishes he could take it back. "He's terribly remorseful
about this. This was his child. Really in a fit of anger he overreacted.
And obviously a parent can't treat young child with strong arms. Can't
do that and he knows it. He's terribly sorry about it."
Chelsee LeBlanc doesn't buy it. "I don't think he feels remorse for
what he's done honestly." That's all the young mother could say after
breaking into tears. Tears of anger at her husband, tears of pain for
little Charlie.
No one knows if Charlie will ever walk or talk. His mother has to
live with that uncertainty each and every day. But can find some comfort
in the knowledge her son's father will spend a long time behind bars
for robbing his son of a chance at a normal life.
Charlie is blind and suffers seizures. Doctors won't know the full impact of his injuries until he gets older.
Jason LeBlanc was also sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating
probation for aggravated assault. That sentence will run at the same
time as the 40 year sentence.
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Early afternoon report: JEFFERSON COUNTY - A father who became angry
at his son's crying and squeezed the infant's head, causing a number of
injuries that relatives say will affect the boy for the rest of his
life, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
The mother and other relatives of Charlie LeBlanc held signs outside
the Jefferson County Courthouse Monday morning, detailing the 26
injuries Charlie suffered at the hands of his father, Jason LeBlanc, 28.
The family also handed out blue ribbons promoting child abuse
awareness.

Judge John Stevens sentenced LeBlanc on a charge of Aggravated Injury
to a Child. Charlie's family says they agreed to the 40 year sentence
for the father. He won't be eligible for parole until he's served at
least 20 years. LeBlanc could have faced up to life in prison for the
1st Degree Felony.
He was also sentenced to 20 years for violating probation on a
conviction of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. He'll serve the
sentence concurrently with the 40 year sentence.
Charlie's mother, Chelsee LeBlanc, said she was happy with the sentence. She cried as she was leaving court.
Jason LeBlanc's attorney, Don Duesler, said his client is "very sorry" for what he did.
Judge John Stevens had harsh words for Jason LeBlanc.
"This act defies comprehension," said Judge Stevens. It's not decent. It's not proper. It's the highest seriousness of the law."
Jason LeBlanc was living with his wife Chelsee and his parents in Port Arthur.
He was taking care of his son Charlie in the early morning hours of
February 9. The next morning Charlie's mother noticed something was
wrong with her son. The boy was four weeks old at the time.
He was flown to Texas Children's Hospital where doctors found Charlie
sustained more than 20 injuries including several skull fractures,
bleeding to the brain, broken ribs and a cut liver.
LeBlanc admitted to police he was angered by Charlie's crying and
squeezed his son's head and chest for several minutes. Charlie is now at
home trying to recover from his injuries.
The boy's mother wants her husband to receive a long sentence for
actions that have outraged and saddened her. Chelsee LeBlanc says she
never imagined her husband could cause so many devastating injuries to
his own son.
Doctors say Charlie is lucky to be alive but the little boy will have
a lifetime of obstacles to overcome. Chelsee says some injuries Charlie
had were "six major fractures to his skull. Multiple small fractures to
his skull. He has seizures. Fractured tibia, fractured femur, humerus,
14 ribs broken and fractured. Multiple brain bleeds, a lacerated liver.
He's now blind and he's epileptic."
Chelsee says her husband has never admitted to her that he harmed
Charlie on purpose. He told her he accidentally dropped their child. She
wishes Jason had asked for help.
"There were five other people in that house that he could have gone
to and say 'hey, Charlie won't stop crying. I need help.' He could have
woken me up in the bed right there and said 'take the baby. I can't
handle it.' But he didn't. It's something I can't get through my head.
Why not."
Chelsee says she feels betrayed and manipulated. She believes if she had known what was going on she could have stopped it.
http://www.kfdm.com/articles/judge-43297-sentencing-son.html