Local Man Found Guilty of Child Abuse by Jury
Brian Verry, 34, is found guilty of fracturing his daughter’s skull in March 2006.
WAKEFIELD – A Rhode Island man awaits sentencing in February after being found guilty by a jury of first-degree child abuse, felony assault and simple assault against his two-month-old daughter.
The jury returned the verdict against Brian Verry, 34, on Jan. 14. Verry could serve up to 20 years for the child abuse charge, with a minimum sentence of 10 years.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 18, with a pre-sentencing report due Feb. 14. Following the verdict, Superior Court Associate Justice Edwin Gale ordered that Verry be held at the ACI.
According to court records, Verry’s most recent address is 23 Melrose St., Apt. #1, East Greenwich, but past media and police reports also give him addresses of 846 Tower Hill Road, North Kingstown, and a home in Narragansett that he shared with the victim and her mother.
According to Narragansett police reports included in court documents, on March 8, 2006, they began an investigation after receiving a report from staff at South County Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
Staff told police and DCYF officials that the injuries sustained by the infant were likely caused by abuse. After interviews with Verry and the mother of his child, it was determined that he had been alone with the child, and he was placed under arrest.
Verry was initially tried in 2010, but a hung jury was declared in April 2010. Verry was represented by court-appointed lawyer Richard K. Corley, and Stephen A. Regine prosecuted for the state.
This isn’t Verry’s first time at the ACI. In January 2005, he pleaded no contest to a West Warwick felony charge of larceny greater than $500. He was ordered to serve 18 months of a five-year sentence, with the balance to be served as probation.
In 1999, he pleaded no contest to state police charges of obtaining money under false pretenses, and was ordered to serve probation. Verry also had two suspended license charges against him dismissed in 2002, and a third dismissed in 2009.
The South County Independent covered the trial live. For their write-up, click here.
Kristy
3:22 pm on Wednesday, January 26, 2011
My husband didn't live with me. The address you listed is his mailing address. That is my point. You presumed it to be fact that he lives here, when he doesn't, and hasn't. I would like to thank you and all the other newspapers for publishing MY address. Really, I hope you mean it when you say you will report on his INNOCENCE, but, I have my doubts that you will report to the degree which you and all the others have on his presumed guilt. I believe you will print a 1 sentence retraction. I have been receiving phone calls and whatnot for comment so here is my comment: My husband is a kind, loving, gentle, caring man, who is greatly missed by all who love him. He is a devoted husband, and loving father. He is a good man, and one day I, along with his legal team will prove his innocence and when that happens, I hope all of the news and media outlets will stand up and apologize to my husband and our family for the torture you have all put us through.
Stephen Greenwell
3:45 pm on Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The article doesn't mention that he lives there, just that it is his address, which it is according to court documents. Typically, we report the address of the defendant at the time of the arrest, and any addresses listed since the arrest date in court files.
Regarding your other comments, at the time you asked me, I wasn't aware that this was regarding a Narragansett police case, so I wasn't interested. I did become aware after, and thus, wrote this article based on court and police records. Again, if Mr. Verry is exonerated, we will certainly post a follow-up article. If you are being harassed by others, I encourage you to document the incidents and file a police report against those individuals.
Kristy
3:36 pm on Wednesday, January 26, 2011
You make my husband sound like he is some career criminal. Let me ask you something, how many people do you think have driven on a suspended license. Was it really necessary to report that? And as for the Felony Larceny, he repaid that debt and lived as a model citizen who worked hard, paid his taxes, and lived within the law. When I asked you what you were reporting on while outside the court room, you said you weren't interested in this story. Funny, cause here you are writing an article on it without any of the facts. None of the aforementioned charges have a relevance to this case, you simply out them into this article to further drive a nail into my husband's proverbial coffin. I will state one simple fact about this case which you may check "pulbic records" for... Kimberly Mawson. Find out who the attorney was that made Judge Gale look bad... it was Richard K. Corley who brought to light the facts of that case, which was also a child abuse case. My husband received a fair trial the first time around and had a hung jury. This information comes forward, he is denied due process, and is now forced to live in a cell away from all those who love him. Not too mention the states supposed "child abuse expert" Carole Jenny... she has been accused and found guilty of falsifying records in 4 previous abuse cases, one of which is the MacKenzie Carlson case right here in RI. Perhaps your time would be better spent looking into that.
Melanie
3:37 pm on Wednesday, January 26, 2011
I am wondering how often was the mother of the child alone with this innocent little girl? Did the mother have any logical reasons of why Brian would hurt his own flesh and blood? These cases' are not appropriatly reviewed and investigated, as soon as there is a "possible" suspect nobody can see past that. With the exception of the people that know the suspect. I myself have met Brian and would never in a million years think that he would hurt a flea, never mind his precious child. I also witnessed the over-joy that Brian had when his son was brought into this world, never have I seen a grown man so proud of something. My wish is that Brian is proven innocent and can live the life that he deserves with his famly and friends. Please research every side of the story before reporting anything else negative, also posting an address without the facts is innapropriate.
Rebecca Moriarty Joyal
3:44 pm on Wednesday, January 26, 2011
I find it completely funny how the fact that Brian is so called "guilty" because he was alone with his daughter, well let me ask you this if Brian was at work all day and they were a family of THREE then wasn't his exwife alone with her also? I know Brian and I have to say I can not see such a gentle man doing what they say he did. Also if you got the address you put in your article from whitepages.com and its so easy to find why put it in your article? As a reporter you should have done your research and made sure about the situation before you made his current wife's address right there for ANYONE to see.
Lyn Budaj
6:35 pm on Thursday, January 27, 2011
I am so tired of reading comments about people harassing the patch for reporting police reports. All police reports are public record which patch gets from the police department. If you or anyone else doesn't want information about themselves in the paper then don't get arrested.
Kristy
8:18 am on Friday, January 28, 2011
Lyn, that was exactly my point, I DID NOT get arrested, they reported an address that they didn't have all the information on. And you know something, sometimes, it's not your fault for getting arrested. SOMETIMES someone sends you into a police station blind and you are crucified and coerced into a statement even with your lawyer sitting there. And the "police reports" mentioned above about my husband having a suspended license, that's ridiculous, only added to a "article" to sensationalize and make it seem as if he was some sort of career criminal when in fact he made 1 mistake, owned that mistake, paid the restitution for that mistake, and went on as a functioning, tax paying, member of society. So, you'll have to excuse me for standing up for someone I love. And if you don't like people commenting about something that is wrong, perhaps you shouldn't read it!