Willie Burton, of Alabama, was suspected of beating his girlfriend’s child, 2-year-old Kyle Freeman, to death.
On Friday, a jury acquitted Burton of capital murder.
Prosecutors stated in court that the man was upset while potty training the boy while his mother was away at work for a weekend in 2018.
Burton claimed that he did “pop” the child on the butt twice but never abused him.
During the trial, it was shown that Burton wasn’t the only adult in the home when Kyle was harmed. Burton’s sister and other adult relatives were present, as well.
A medical examiner testistified that Kyle experienced blunt force trauma to the head and abdomen. His intestines busted open, and he went into shock.
Defense lawyers argued that some other adult in the home had harmed Kyle.
The mother of Burton’s children testified that she had never observed him get violent with their children, and he doesn’t have a history of child abuse.
Burton had been sitting in jail for three years with no bond, following the charges.
