The murder trial of Stephanie Spurgeon begins as she faces charges of shaking a baby to death.

Spurgeon is a Palm Harbor day care owner who allegedly killed a 1-year-old by shaking the girl to death.

TampaBay.com:

But no one witnessed the child’s injuries, and the fundamental science behind so-called “shaken baby syndrome” has come under attack in recent years. Even the name has been dropped by many medical professionals in favor of other terms such as “abusive head trauma.”

This means the trial will likely become a battle of experts, with the prosecution’s doctors blaming the death on Spurgeon and defense experts saying the child died from other causes.

 The case dates to August 2008, when 1-year-old Maria Harris was dropped off at Spurgeon’s in-home day care.

Expect a lot of ‘He said, she said’ as witnesses will be lined up to contradict each other.

Bay News 9 reports:

James Ipser, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida, took the stand and testified that it would be impossible for the baby to die from shaking alone.

Ipser said, however, he wasn’t a medical person.

The baby’s grandmother testified earlier this week, saying the baby was healthy when she was dropped off.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/murder-trial-begins-for-former-palm-harbor-day-care-owner-accused-of/1214405

http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2012/february/381047/Defense-calls-witnesses-in-Spurgeon-trial

The Desk of Brian recommends:

Sergeant John Russell charged in 2009 Iraqi killings in Calvin Gibbs caseJailed Pastor Arthur Schirmer may face charges of murdering second wifeJeremy Morlock testifies to Calvin Gibbs role in Afghan killingsAustralian Greg McNicol allegedly shot and killed by lottery winner Freddie Young - trial startsStephanie Decker, Indiana woman lost parts of both legs to save her two childrenJosh Powell, tragic murder-suicide takes lives of two kids VIDEOWikileaks Army accomplice, Bradley Manning, will face court martial, life imprisonmentEfraim Zuroff leads campaign to prosecute former Nazis - hundreds of cases opened

Check out the Desk of Brian Facebook page here