Sentenced: Bryant Rolland Jr., Said He Was Holding 11MO Boy When He Passed Out & Fell Down Stairs

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A man who was babysitting an infant pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in the case.

His guilty plea came a week before his second jury trial was scheduled to begin. He had previously been found guilty of first-degree murder in 2019, but he was granted a new trial after his attorney was deemed to have provided ineffective counsel.

Bryant Rolland Jr., 37, pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree murder in the death of 11-month-old Jaceyon Downey in August 2017.

Rolland is expected to be sentenced to 12 and a half years or less, with credit for time served, according to a Cobbs Agreement.

Rolland was babysitting Jaceyon and his then 3-year-old brother Keegan while watching six of his own children. He was accused of pushing the infant down a set of stairs on Aug. 23, 2017. The child died four days later in a hospital.

During one interview Rolland told police that Jaceyon’s older brother Keegan pushed Jaceyon down the stairs, according to previous reporting. Rolland also said that he passed out while holding Jaceyon and fell on top of him, tumbling down a different flight of eight stairs together, according to previous reporting.

The defendant changed his story during interviews to cover for himself, Kalamazoo County assistant prosecutor Kenneth Barnard said during the trial.

Kalamazoo babysitter pleads guilty to killing infant in 2017

Bryant Rolland was originally convicted of murder but was granted a new trial because of ineffective counsel.

www.mlive.com

 

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Jaceyon

 

[thuumpr]

I think he should've gone through with the trial - and the sentence be doubled.

 

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He looked like a happy baby.

 

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Name: BRYANT GARNETT ROLLAND JR.

Current Status: Prisoner


Earliest Release Date: 08/31/2030

Maximum Release Date: 02/28/2058


Offense: Homicide - Murder, Second Degree

Minimum Sentence: 12 years 6 months 0 days

Maximum Sentence: 40 years 0 months