NEW BOSTON, Texas-A Texarkana man accused of capital murder in the January beating death of a 2-year-old was found guilty by a Bowie County jury after 40 minutes of deliberations.
Clifford James Gayton Jr., 19, faces life without the possibility of parole for brutally beating young Da'Corian Wright to death in Unit 28 of Town North Apartments while the baby's mother was at work. The state did not seek the death penalty because of Gayton's age and lack of prior criminal history. Life without parole is the only other punishment available for capital murder under Texas law.
Gayton was also found guilty of third-degree injury to a child for injuring Da'Corian's then 1-year-old sister the same day. The jury of seven men and five women will hear testimony this afternoon concerning the punishment Gayton should receive for beating Da'Corian's little sister. Gayton faces two to 10 years and a fine up to $10,000 for the injury to a child offense.
The medical examiner who autopsied Da'Corian testified that she had never seen injuries like those evident on Da'Corian's body. The boy was bruised from his head to just above his feet, front and back. Da'Corian's genitals were bruised and cut. Massive head injuries and torn internal organs were the result of "unimagineable rage," the medical examiner testified.
Assistant District Attorneys Kelley Crisp and Lauren Richards argued in closing remarks that Gayton has a history of violence toward children and was the only person with access to Da'Corian and his sister when they were harmed.
Crisp described Gayton as a "cold-blooded baby-killer."
Check the Gazette website for updates on the case, and find full coverage of the trial in Saturday's print and online editions.