MERIWETHER COUNTY, GA (WTVM) -
Casey Spradlin collapsed on a table after hearing the judge read the Meriwether County jury's verdict of not guilty on all counts.
His family and friends burst in tears and hugged one another.
Spradlin has been on trial the last two weeks accused of murdering 21-month-old Brayden Robinson in 2010, the son of his then-girlfriend.
However, the jury did not support those charges.
It was an emotional end after more than a week worth of testimonies and evidence. Friday, during closing arguments, prosecutors talked about the young life that was cut short.
"Brayden Robinson will never get an opportunity to be a Cub Scout much less a Boy Scout," said Assistant District Attorney, Robert Peterkin. "He will never get the opportunity to be married because he is dead. He will never get the opportunity for that dream job like a firefighter or police officer or any other type of job he desires because he is dead."
However, the defense maintained that Spradlin loved the toddler and his injuries could have been from a series of accidents and the last, a fall from his crib while in Spradlin's care.
"They don't know what happened. They are trying to throw a bunch of evidence over here to you and you buy it and run with it without giving you proof of a how or a why in this case," said Ken Gordon, attorney for the defense
While there were some in the courtroom who were not happy with the verdict, some of Spradlin's friends and family members said they knew they could all get through this.
"Why would he snap with a small child that he loved?" said Gordon.
We could not catch up with the prosecutor to get his reaction to the Not Guilty verdict.
Copyright 2012 WTVM. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTVM, a Raycom Media Station.
