Woman convicted in daughter's torture

Woman convicted in daughter's torture

October 22, 2005

David Conti

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

An Allegheny County jury deliberated for about two hours Friday before convicting a Carrick woman of all but one charge filed in the torture of her adopted daughter.

Debra Liberman, 52, faces up to 55 years in prison when she is sentenced Dec. 16 for pouring bleach on the 7-year-old girl, beating her with a dog chain, forcing cat food and salt down her throat and locking her in a coal cellar and a closet.

The jury of eight women and four men convicted Liberman of four counts of aggravated assault and one count each of arson, unlawful restraint, child endangerment and reckless endangerment. She was acquitted of the most serious charge of attempted homicide for the February 2004 attack on Haley Liberman.

"The jury obviously considered the attempted homicide, but that charge was really a judgment call," said Assistant District Attorney Laura Ditka, who prosecuted the case. "Whatever you want to call it -- aggravated assault or criminal attempt -- it was horrific."

Haley, now 9 and living with Liberman's ex-husband Daniel Liberman in Virginia, told the jury that the torture included being locked outside in the snow and placed in the coal cellar with a burning furnace filter.

Debra Liberman's attorneys did not dispute Haley's detailed account of the attack, which left her scarred by chemical burns. But defense attorneys Todd Hollis and Sumner Parker tried to convince the jury that Liberman suffered from a temporary psychosis brought on by her asthma medication.

"We certainly feel sympathy for Haley and the suffering she's had to endure," Hollis said after the verdict was read. "But I don't believe my client is legally responsible."

Hollis and Parker presented testimony from one psychiatrist who diagnosed Liberman as suffering from temporary psychosis. But Common Pleas Judge Donna Jo McDaniel would not allow testimony from other doctors that Hollis said could link the psychosis to her medication.

Before deliberations began yesterday, McDaniel threw out Liberman's insanity defense, Hollis said.

"We're reasonably certain we'll appeal," Hollis said.

Liberman took the stand in her own defense on Wednesday, crying as she testified that she could only remember some of the night, and that she could not explain why she lashed out so viciously.

Yesterday, she showed little emotion, bowing her head as the jury read the verdict, and then when McDaniel revoked her bond and sent her to jail. She said nothing as sheriff's deputies led her from court.

David Conti can be reached at dconti@tribweb.com or 412-320-7981.