Case also drew national attention through the Innocence Project, Joe Rogan Experience podcast after mom was ‘wrongfully accused’ in death of infant who died of sickle cell anemia
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Las Vegas defense attorney K. Ryan Helmick of The Defense Firm was featured on the latest episode of A&E’s highly renowned true crime series, “Accused: Guilty or Innocent?”
The episode, which premiered on Thursday, Feb. 16, chronicled the story of a Las Vegas mother who had been charged with murder in the death of her infant son but was ultimately cleared of all charges in December 2022.
Kristina Kerlus, 32, saw her world turned upside down when she was charged with murder and child abuse in August 2019 in the death of her 2-month-old son, Jocai Davis.
Nine months after Jocai died at University Medical Center in Las Vegas on Oct. 7, 2018, the Clark County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide, citing blunt force head and neck trauma. Kerlus faced the possibility of losing custody of her kids and spending much of the rest of her life in prison.
“Kristina, a loving mother to Jocai and her three other children, was wrongfully accused,” said Helmick, who became involved in the case when he suspected that the coroner’s office had it wrong. “Jocai did not die from Shaken Baby Syndrome, as was originally suspected, but instead he tragically died as a result of sickle cell anemia. Unfortunately, medical examiners did not consider the possibility of sickle cell anemia, though that is precisely what took young Jocai’s life.”
It wasn’t the first time Helmick and his Las Vegas law firm were featured on “Accused: Guilty or Innocent?”, which offers an intimate account of what happens when someone is formally charged with a crime and sent to trial. A previous episode chronicled Helmick’s involvement in a high-profile case of a shooting at a Las Vegas high school baseball field.
Helmick credited the Clark County District Attorney’s Office for their willingness to take a second look at the Kerlus case.
“Thanks to the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, a tremendous injustice was averted,” Helmick said. “When a baby dies, there are few plausible explanations, which may have had something to do with why law enforcement was pursuing Shaken Baby Syndrome. It is possible they overlooked the possibility of sickle cell anemia, which is more common among African Americans, because Jocai was biracial and had light skin.”
The case attracted national attention thanks in part to the Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to exonerating people who have been wrongly convicted and working to reform the criminal justice system to prevent injustice. Jason Flom, a founding board member of the Innocence Project, helped bring attention to the case through an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
“Kristina did so much research and reached out to other moms in this situation across the nation, and that’s how she ultimately came into contact with the Innocence Project,” Helmick said. “I also took on the case without a fee for a significant amount of time. It was really a connected web of people who became involved once they heard about the story. Kristina is rightfully exonerated and free thanks to so many people who came to her assistance and hopefully this result will have a ripple effect amongst other District Attorney’s office’s around the country, and medical fields in hopes that they too will take a deeper dive into cases like this and if needed, give them a second look so this never happens to another innocent person again.”
Helmick added: “None of this should have happened, but thankfully in the end justice prevailed. This woman who has suffered so greatly due to the loss of her son can begin to put the pieces of her life back together again. No one can ever accuse her of being anything other than a responsible mother who cares for her kids.”
Contact: Jeff Haney
[email protected]
Office: (702) 385-7300
Cell: (702) 538-6117
SOURCE The Defense Firm Las Vegas
