Ex-Marine in Child Killing Sentenced to 15 Years to Life

SANTA ANA — A former Marine Corps staff sergeant was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison by a Superior Court judge on Friday for causing internal injuries that killed his girlfriend’s 13-month-old son.

Ronald L. Backus, 36, showed no reaction when Judge Francisco P. Briseno handed down the sentence.

The judge had found Backus guilty of second-degree murder in March after a nonjury trial.

Backus had been living with his girlfriend, 23-year-old Nicole Brunson, and her three children in a Tustin apartment when the death of Travonne Jackson occurred in January 1996. The child died as a result of a blow to the stomach of such force that it pushed his liver into his spine, causing internal bleeding. The toddler also had 16 bruises on his head.

“The judge gave an appropriate sentence for the crime,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Lew Rosenblum said. “It’s a very tragic situation and it’s unfortunate that [Backus] hasn’t taken responsibility for the situation. He had the opportunity to apologize and he didn’t. He never said he was sorry.”

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During the trial, Briseno said he did not believe that Backus had intended to kill the toddler, but that his failure to disclose to anyone that the child needed medical treatment once it was clear he was in distress constituted “malice aforethought.”

Briseno also made note of inconsistent statements made by Backus and said he had a “lack of credibility” while on the witness stand.

Backus did not offer an explanation when Brunson noticed the child was having trouble breathing. But he later tearfully told police that he had accidentally dropped the baby as he was lifting him from his crib to give him his bottle, according to a pre-sentencing probation report.

The report says that Backus said he had lied initially because he feared that being arrested would end his military career.

Brunson chose not to address the judge before the sentencing and declined comment later. The probation report states the mother believes her former boyfriend killed her child deliberately and should have been convicted of first-degree murder. She wanted him sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.

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Rosenblum said the “lack of remorse” shown by Backus has made it more difficult for Brunson to deal with the death of her son.

Backus’ attorney, Deputy Public Defender Donald Rubright, described the situation as “a family tragedy” for which his client is not responsible.

“Mr. Backus has never done anything but protest his innocence,” Rubright said.

During the trial, Rubright had contended that it was Brunson who had abused the child and who should be charged with the death. He said Tustin police had erred by never considering her as a suspect and said the case against his client was “entirely circumstantial.”

But the judge rejected that argument.

He said the police investigation made it clear that Brunson was not responsible for the death of her son. She was not at home when the child received his fatal injuries.

Rubright said the judge’s verdict will be appealed. Rubright said the basis of the appeal will be a tape-recorded conversation between his client and Brunson.

He said the taped conversation, done without Backus’ knowledge, wasn’t revealed in police reports and he wasn’t made aware of it until the trial.