Julie Baumer’s case
centers on debunking the myths about Shaken Baby Syndrome. Julie was convicted
in 2005 of child abuse stemming from injuries sustained by her infant nephew
while he was under her care. Other possible causes of the injury to the infant
were unexplored, and Julie was convicted. Julie's attorney failed to look into
and present evidence that the child had sustained his injuries from natural
causes.
Julie's prior attorneys showed the baby's brain
scans to some of the world's leading experts in pediatric head injuries, and
those experts unanimously agreed that the baby had suffered a stroke and had
not been abused. Faced with this new evidence, the judge overturned Julie's
conviction, and she was released from prison in December 2009 after four years
of wrongful incarceration. The Clinic defended the judge's decision against the
prosecution's appeals to the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme
Court, and both courts denied the prosecution's appeal.
Still refusing to give up, the
prosecution elected to try Julie again.
A lengthy re-trial was held in the fall of 2010, and the Innocence Clinic,
along with Carl Marlinga, a defense attorney who was
formerly the elected prosecutor of Macomb County, represented Julie. Experts
from across the country were called in and left no doubt that the injuries to
the child, while tragic, were certainly not caused by abuse. Julie was found
not guilty and officially exonerated on October 15, 2010.
While incarcerated Julie wrote several novels
unrelated to her case and after failed attempts for meaningful emplyment published her first novel in 2012, An Undeserved
Sentence. It is available for purchase on Amazon.com.
In addition she has owns and operates a Silk
Screen and Embroidery business, www.lilharryscloset.com.
Media
Metro Times: When innocence is pink
Innocence Blog: Michigan woman cleared in shaken baby case