S.W. Phila. man gets long sentence in death of girl, 4
The judge said the presentencing report describing Edward Golphin's childhood was "one of the worst I've ever seen." Born to a crack-addicted mother, no father present, sexually molested - and regularly beaten with a belt, hangers, and shoes - it was surprising that Golphin had no juvenile arrest record, said his lawyer, Michael E. Wallace.
The judge said the presentencing report describing Edward Golphin's childhood was "one of the worst I've ever seen."
Born to a crack-addicted mother, no father present, sexually molested - and regularly beaten with a belt, hangers, and shoes - it was surprising that Golphin had no juvenile arrest record, said his lawyer, Michael E. Wallace.
But ultimately, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Genece E. Brinkley agreed with the prosecutor that she had to deal with the man Golphin is, and not the abused child he was. On Friday, she sentenced him to 52 1/2 to 105 years in prison for the two years of beatings that killed 4-year-old Seanita Brown.
Golphin, 28, of Southwest Philadelphia, declined to speak before Brinkley sentenced him to the maximum in the July 16, 2013, death from massive internal bleeding.
Seanita was the daughter of Josephita Brown, Golphin's girlfriend. She and Golphin were arrested after the girl's death.
Brown, 27, quickly cooperated with prosecutors and pleaded guilty in September 2013 to conspiracy, child endangerment, and involuntary manslaughter. She testified against Golphin at his preliminary hearing and trial, and in February was sentenced to four to eight years in prison.
Assistant District Attorney Kristen Kemp said Brown, who has intellectual disabilities, was isolated and manipulated by Golphin: "He turned her into his coconspirator."
Golphin, whose defense initially blamed Brown for her daughter's death, went to trial. On Feb. 1, a jury found him guilty of third-degree murder, conspiracy, aggravated assault, and child endangerment.
Wallace said Golphin's childhood could not excuse what he did, but added that "he probably had no positive influence in his life."
He said Golphin, who was raised by a grandmother, underwent eight psychological evaluations between ages 12 and 16 but received no follow-up care.
"He was a hand grenade ready to explode, and unfortunately Seanita was the victim of that explosion," Wallace added.
Kemp argued for the maximum sentence, telling Brinkley that the defense "blamed everyone around the defendant for his behavior without ever looking at the man who committed it."
Kemp said that during the two years Golphin and Brown were together, Seanita sustained multiple broken ribs, and a leg was broken and rebroken. A final beating lacerated the girl's liver and she bled to death internally.
"She knew more pain and torture in her young life than any human being - any hundred human beings - should suffer," Kemp said.
Kemp said Golphin also abused the girl's brother, and before that had a history of torturing and killing animals: "This is a man who enjoyed torturing and killing the vulnerable."
Seanita's paternal aunt Kim Gary began a victim-impact statement on behalf of the family but broke down before she could finish.
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