23 year-old Felicia Chen, the young mother who admitted in Supreme Court that she drowned her 3 babies was given a 24-year prison sentence by Justice Troadio Gonzales. That's the decision that the judge delivered today after 4 days after deliberating on how much time she should spend for committing the triple manslaughter.
As we told you, as we told you, Chen decided to forego a lengthy trial for 3 counts of murder by pleading guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter. She and her attorney told the court that she was diagnosed with severe depression. She also plead for leniency saying that in addition to her depression, she was destitute, abused and forced to prostitution, and that she had a breakdown when she heard voices who convinced her to kill her babies.
4 year old Triana, 3 year old Thomas, and 1 year old TrinayaTeul were killed in an unthinkable infanticide in April of 2012, but Justice Troadio Gonzales agreed with the prosecution and the defence today that, their mother, Felicia Chen, shouldn't be held fully liable for her actions under the law because of her mental state. For the death of each of the babies, Chen was sentenced to 8 years. That's a total of 24 year, but all the sentences are to run concurrently, so she will only serve a total of 8 years in jail.
We met her attorney outside of court after the hearing, and spoke to her about the outcome of the trial:
Leslie Mendez - Felicia Chen's Defense Attorney
"Our sentencing was set for today and the judge has imposed a sentence of 8 years commencing from the time that she pleaded guilty which was from July 10th, 2014, just Thursday."
Mike Rudon, Ch5
"Ma'am, could you tell us a bit about the mitigating circumstances? He spoke about that at the beginning of the sentencing."
Leslie Mendez - Felicia Chen's Defense Attorney
"The factors that played a role in the sentencing were first that the judge mentioned the fact that she pleaded guilty to the three counts of manslaughter and had saved the courts some time. The other circumstances were what I had raised and her sister had raised - that she is a victim of domestic violence, the fact that her mental state was impaired at the time as she has been diagnosed of suffering from severe depression with psychotic symptoms, so that played a role in her sentencing, but also in the defence when it comes to diminished responsibility."
Mike Rudon, Ch5
"But in that vain, I notice that while the sentencing is for 8 years to run concurrently, there is no mention of no psychiatric treatment or any counseling that she should take, any medication, anything like that."
Leslie Mendez
"No, the court hasn't mentioned it but we will definitely monitor that."
Mike Rudon, Ch5
"Who will monitor that?"
Leslie Mendez
"We will be ensuring that she be getting treatment from a psychiatrist. She has been, but it's just a bit delayed for three months. She's also seeing a counsellor and she's also been getting some treatment at the prison, so we would be ensuring that that is still going on during the time that she's serving her sentence."
Mike Rudon, Ch5
"In your opinion, would you say that justice has been served today?"
Leslie Mendez
"Yes I do believe that justice has been served today. We are very grateful for the courts for showing some leniency in these types of cases."
Mike Rudon, Ch5
"That is in regard to Ms. Chen, do you believe that justice has been served in regards to the three children who were killed?"
Leslie Mendez
"I do believe that justice has been served here. To say that it is tragic is an understatement. But it is something that she will live with forever in her mind. She will forever feel guilty, as she has expressed. We can't go back. We can't go back."
The sentence is recorded as taking effect on last week Thursday, when Chen's guilty plea was officially accepted. In coming to his decision on her sentence, Justice Gonzalez announced to Felicia Chen and the rest of the court that he took into consideration that she saved the state and the court time and resources by not having to put her through a full trial. He also took into consideration that Chen has no previous offences or run-ins with the law. Finally, he noted that in her mitigation plea, Chen expressed feelings of sorrow, regret and remorse for what she had done.
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