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Dawson sentenced for death of son
Larry Dawson sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for 2012 killing
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
For Jackie Stewart, it will always be Christmas for her and her 15-month-old grandson Rayvon Stewart, who was murdered just two weeks before the holiday in 2012.
Stewart addressed Judge Shirley Christian in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Wednesday just before she sentenced Rayvon’s father, Larry Dawson, to 15 years to life in prison for killing the baby.
The grandmother said she still has the gifts she bought for Rayvon that Christmas – because she did not believe until the sentencing hearing that she will never again celebrate the holiday with him.
“I’m still in denial,” Stewart said. “I keep telling myself this is a dream and I’m going to wake up.
“Today I realize this really ain’t a dream. This is real.”
Dawson, 26, of Wesley Avenue, was convicted June 29 of murder and two counts of child endangering by a jury after a four-day trial for the death of Rayvon, who died at Akron Children’s Hospital on Dec. 12, 2012.
An autopsy revealed he died of blunt-force trauma to the back of the head, and Dawson was charged because he was alone with the child at the time Rayvon suffered his injuries.
Defense attorney Joseph Gardner said his client is innocent and claimed during the trial the injury came from an accident such as a fall. But the pathologist who performed Rayvon’s autopsy said his injury could not have come from a fall, but only from being slammed against something.
The courtroom was packed with supporters of both the baby’s mother and Dawson.
Several members of Dawson’s family wore T-shirts that said “A Father’s Love: Free Deezy,” with a picture of Dawson and his son while several members of the mother’s family wore T-shirts that said “Justice For Rayvon.”
Family members on both sides were sobbing throughout the entire hearing.
Venus Stewart, another relative of the baby’s mother, called Dawson “pathetic” and a “coward” for not admitting that he hurt Rayvon.
She slammed him for what she said was his selfish behavior, saying he would not ride in the ambulance when Rayvon was transported to a hospital and went home to sleep in his own bed as family members held a vigil for Rayvon by his bedside overnight before he died.
“It takes a special person to pick themselves over their child,” Venus Stewart said.
She said she was tired of people feeling sorry for Dawson.
“Really, it’s all about Larry,” Venus Stewart said. “Where is all the passion and concern for Rayvon?”
Dawson’s mother, Tracy Dawson, a minister, asked Judge Christian for mercy, saying her son has always been a good child and has never been in trouble.
She said she misses Rayvon every day but she believes her son did not murder him – and if he did cause Rayvon’s death, it was an accident.
She said jurors were shown several pictures of Rayvon and her son enjoying themselves and that her son was a good father.
“I know my son would never do anything to intentionally hurt Rayvon,” Tracy Dawson said. “There must’ve been some kind of accident.”
She added there were also “lies in this courtroom” during the trial but she did not elaborate on what they were.
Dawson himself spoke briefly, saying he loved his son and that he would never hurt him.
Judge Chistian said the jury system is the best in the world and her job was to hand down the appropriate sentence.
By law, the only sentence Dawson was eligible to receive was the 15 years to life in prison.