Mother charged in 2-year-old’s death turns down plea bargain

Thursday, April 29, 1999 | 11:20 a.m.

Shonea Greene, charged with scalding her 2-year-old daughter to death, said she will leave her fate in the hands of God and a District Court jury instead of taking a plea bargain that would give her a chance to get out of prison in as few as 10 years.

Greene, 20, is charged with scalding her daughter, Dezjanea Taylor, in a bath so hot it appeared the girl was skinned alive. An Aug. 30 trial date on first-degree murder charges is set in the courtroom of Judge Kathy Hardcastle.

The district attorney's office on Wednesday offered Greene an opportunity to plea to the lesser charge of second-degree murder, which carries a life sentence with the possibility of parole or 25-year prison sentence -- either of which would make her eligible for parole in 10 years.

If found guilty, Greene faces the possibility of life or 50 years in prison, either of which would not make her eligible for parole for 20 years. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty in the case.

"I urged her strongly to take it," attorney Osvaldo "Ossie" Fumo said after withdrawing as her lawyer. "She talked to her family over the weekend and said she believes God will come through for her."

A hearing was set for today in Hardcastle's court to assign a public defender to Greene's case. Fumo said he would be available to help whoever is assigned.

The deal offered by Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon would have allowed Greene to plead guilty without admitting responsibility.

"I believe I will leave the plea offer open, especially with a new attorney coming on" Herndon said.

Herndon said the plea bargain was offered because a lot of medical testimony, which can be complicated for a jury, would have to be presented and Greene has no prior criminal record. In turn, a plea would guarantee that Greene would serve significant prison time.

Taylor died Feb. 6 at University Medical Center of burns that covered nearly 60 percent of her body. Two days before that she allegedly was held in the scalding water as punishment for regressing in her potty training.

The family lived in a North Las Vegas Housing Authority apartment on 1634 Stocker St., court records show.

Greene's three other children, the eldest of whom is 3 1/2, have been made wards of the state and are being cared for by relatives.