Foster parents must stand trial for murder
Ben Aguirre Jr.
Oakland Tribune
FREMONT -- Crying tears of joy and clapping her hands quietly, Cheri Keeling breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday as a judge ruled that the foster parents charged with killing her grandson will stand trial for murder.
"I'm very happy," she said outside a courtroom at the Fremont Hall of Justice. "Justice is on its way for my grandson."
After a seven-session, two-month-long preliminary hearing to determine if there was enough evidence to support charges of murder and child abuse, Judge Dennis McLaughlin ordered that Terry Corder and his wife, Sherrie, stand trial for the October slaying of 2- year-old Dylan George of Hayward, a foster child who had been in their care for three weeks.
The Corders likely face months of pretrial hearings before a trial begins. If convicted, both could face lifelong prison sentences.McLaughlin's decision came after passionate arguments this week from defense attorneys who had different opinions on Sherrie Corder's statements that she watched her husband beat Dylan.
Her attorney, William Linehan, told the court that her statements showed she never physically harmed Dylan and tried to stop the attack. Meanwhile Kevin Little, who represents Terry Corder, argued she made false claims to save herself.
After listening to the arguments and reviewing the evidence, McLaughlin concluded that her statement was not false but that she could have done more to stop the beating.
In an Oct. 25 statement to police, Sherrie Corder told detectives and Deputy District Attorney Mark Melton that she saw her husband consume six alcoholic beverages, try to force-feed Dylan and then beat him when he refused to eat.
As she watched the attack, Sherrie Corder pleaded with her husband to stop but was shoved aside and told to shut up, according to testimony.
A detective testified that Sherrie Corder told him her husband forced Dylan to walk in circles as he punched him in the head, that Dylan then fell and she helped him to his feet and urged him to keep walking.
Linehan argued that both points showed the foster mother wanted to help the toddler but was frightened for her own safety.
McLaughlin, however, decided that her lack of effort to protect Dylan, coupled with her decision to put him to bed rather than take him to the hospital, were "criminal acts of negligence." The judge further said that her attempt to initially cover up the beating with a false story made her an accomplice.
McLaughlin spent little time making the point that there was enough evidence to send Terry Corder to trial.
Outside the courtroom, both defense attorneys said they were disappointed with the ruling but their clients haven't been convicted of anything.
"I believe (Sherrie Corder) should not be held responsible for (murder). She did everything she could (to stop it)," Linehan said.
Meanwhile, Dylan's family rejoiced.
"They're halfway ... to getting what they deserve," grandfather Wayne Keeling said.