BOSTON — A juror who was not involved in convicting the “Baby Doe” killer said that it was a heartbreaking case to hear, and even tougher to decide.
“I think people do want justice because a little girl was murdered,” he said.
The juror, wanted to remain anonymous when speaking with Boston 25 News, but he wanted to speak out because of how much the plea deal the state struck with Rachelle Bond, Bella’s mother, bothered him.
On Monday, a jury found Michael McCarthy, Bond's ex-boyfriend, guilty of second degree murder for Bella Bond's death. Her body washed ashore Deer Island two years ago Sunday.
“I think the plea deal that she got I think was too lenient,” he said.
The state argued that McCarthy killed Bella and then dumped her body in the Boston Harbor, and that Bond did not kill her child, but was an accessory after the fact. As part of a plea deal, she will get time served and two years of probation in exchange for the testimony she gave during the trial.
The juror told Boston 25 News that despite the evidence, no one in the jury box could know for sure it was actually McCarthy. Both McCarthy and Bond were admitted heroin addicts and were using frequently when Bella was alive.
“I think it was very difficult to determine who actually killed Bella. And I think having the option of the lesser charges made the decision for the jury a little easier to reach a verdict,” said the juror.
>>MORE: What happened on the night Baby Bella died, according to her mother
An unprecedented 11th hour judge’s instruction after closing arguments opened the door for more reasonable doubt. The judge allowed the charge of involuntary manslaughter, which was fiercely objected to by the defense.
When asked if he knew who killed Bella, the juror told Boston 25 News: “I don’t really know.”
There was little forensic evidence in the case, washed away by the ocean. Suffolk County DA said in a perfect world, a case has upstanding witnesses; in the Baby Bella case, there were credibility issues because of the histories of drug abuse. However, the testimonies of Bond and tipster Michael Sprinsky was enough to convict.
>>MORE: 'A sick psychopath:' Key witness on McCarthy verdict
“I think most people would think the defendant and Rachelle were involved with killing Bella. To what degree each of them were involved is debatable and hard to prove,” he said.
Bond's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Tuesday and that's when she is supposed to be free, after nearly two years in jail.
McCarthy will be sentenced Wednesday; he faces life in prison with the option of parole after 15 years.