A Marine convicted of viciously beating his 3-month-old son has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
On Monday, prosecutor Tracy Prior told the court, "This father did the unthinkable to his newborn baby son."
Corporal James Charles pleaded guilty on Oct. 19, 2010, to dropping and shaking his son Owen more than 30 times during the first few months of his life.
The child is blind in one eye and suffers from developmental problems, Prior said.
During sentencing, Vikas Bajaj, the attorney for Corporal James Charles said throughout his life his client had demonstrated enormous gratitude, altruism and genuine compassion to those around him. Bajaj asked the court to give his client an alternative sentence.
The alleged crimes happened late last year at the Marine's Poway home where he lived with his wife, son and mother-in-law, after Charles returned from a tour in Iraq.
During a preliminary hearing, the victim's aunt testified that she had begun noticing injuries on the child soon after he was born.
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"He was a month old, and he had bruising under his eyes and under his arm pits," Nicole Barber said.
Prosecutors said Owen suffered a skull fracture and a hand fracture. Prior said his doctors also found, "bleeding in the brain so bad, that a metal shunt had to be inserted into his brain connected to 7 feet of plastic catheter tubing."
Charles must serve at least 85 percent of his nine-year sentence. The judge recommended Charles be placed in a Department of Corrections fire camp.
Charles was arrested two years ago after he showed up at Rady Children's Hospital with his now 2-year-old son Owen.
