UPDATE: Delmar man is on trial for murder and child abuse charges in relation with his son’s death

The verdict is in for James Robert Simpson the second, who was on trial accused of abusing and murdering his infant son last year in Wicomico County.

Simpson was found not guilty on charges of first and second degree murder and first and second degree assault, but he was convicted on a number of other charges.

After five hours of deliberating, the jury found Simpson guilty of first degree child abuse resulting in death, first degree child abuse resulting in severe physical injury, second degree child abuse, and reckless endangerment.

Those are four of the eight charges he was indicted on stemming from December 30th, 2015.

James Simpson the second testified this week that he and the child’s mother were rotating shifts to care for the boy and that he left after a disagreement with the mother to get food. When he returned back to his apartment, he stated he found the child unresponsive.

There is no word yet on a sentencing date for Simpson for the conviction. First degree child abuse resulting in death, alone, could carry as many as 30 years in prison.

The state’s attorney’s office cannot comment until he has been sentenced.

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Original Post Below:

A Delmar man is on trial for murder and child abuse charges in relation with the death of his son in Wicomico County.

According to online court documents, James Simpson the second, was indicted on eight charges, including first and second degree murder and first degree child abuse resulting in a death.

He has pleaded not guilty. The charges reportedly stem from an incident back on December 30th, 2015.

James Simpson reportedly called an ambulance, after he claims he found his son unresponsive.

After initially going to PRMC, the baby was transported to a hospital in D.C.

The child eventually died a day later.

In court on October 19, 2016, the prosecution called to the stand Doctor Tanya Hinds, a pediatrician specializing in child abuse who examined the baby before he died.

Hinds says she found multiple areas of internal bleeding in the child’s brain and her examination also showed vigorous and repetitive trauma to the baby’s head.

And James Simpson, himself, also decided to take the stand today.

He told the jury, he and the mother of the baby would rotate shifts to take care of him, as he chose the night shift.

Earlier that night, James says he was upset with the mother for something they disagreed on.

He then says he left to go to get something to eat around 11:30 p.m., taking the baby with him.

When he got back to his apartment complex, he says he spoke to his sister on the phone for about 20 minutes in the parking lot.

When he finally went into his apartment, he claims the baby was unresponsive and that’s when he called the police.

Both the state and defense rested their cases today and the  the trial is ongoing and is expected to wrap up October 20, 2016.