Closing arguments were made Thursday morning in Christian Circuit Court in the trial of Allison Simpson and Nina Morgan—the two former employees at the First United Methodist Church daycare who allegedly abused babies in their care.
Attorney Eric Bearden represents Simpson and went first and told the jury that while Simpson may have lost her temper and handled babies inappropriately at times, it didn’t rise to the level to warrant a conviction for the 30 counts of criminal abuse in the first-degree.
Michael Thompson represents Morgan, who’s charged with two counts, and accused of the Commonwealth of attempting to play on jurors’ emotions during its case—alleging they called the mother of at least one victim when he believes the father would have been the better witness because he’s who dropped the child off and took them home.
Thompson asked for an acquittal and claims the Commonwealth and police blew the entire situation out of proportion and said the Commonwealth never called a doctor to testify about any injuries from the rough-handling of infants.
Special prosecutor Blake Chambers noted the women are charged with first-degree criminal abuse because of how young the alleged victims are and because they were subjected to cruel punishment or placed in a situation that could have led to injury.
The jury is set to begin deliberating this afternoon.
Nina Morgan