SBS: Virginia: Brent Snyder pleads guilty to murder

Pale and speaking in a low voice, Brent Snyder said he was sorry after entering guilty pleas to charges of felony child neglect and murder in Lancaster County's circuit court Monday morning. The proceeding took about 15 minutes and ended a saga that started Sept. 14, 2010 when Holly Selph came home to find her 5-month-old baby unconscious and Snyder saying the child had fallen. After satisfying himself that Snyder knew the ramifications of his pleas and the contents of an agreement he'd made with the Commonwealth, Judge Harry T. Taliaferro sentenced Snyder to 40 years in the penitentiary with all but 14 years suspended on the homicide charge and 10 years with all but two suspended on the neglect charge. Lancaster County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Julian Harmon summarized the evidence, which would have shown that the child was found to be dead after being rushed to the Medical College of Virginia and that during treatment and at its autopsy, evidence of "shaken baby syndrome" was found. Defense Counsel John Hamilton stipulated the evidence was as Harman represented it. In addition to serving 16 years in prison, Snyder will be on supervised probation for five years following his release. http://www.northernnecknews.com/news/view_sections.asp?idcategory=49&idarticle=3831