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Breaking Update: A judge has declared a mistrial in the murder of a 3-year-old boy over a discovery violation involving an interview.The judge said prosecutors withheld key evidence and testimony from the defense—something that warrants a mistrial. >> Developing story, this will be updated Monday’s story: The mother accused in her 3-year-old son’s murder took the stand in her own defense Monday afternoon.Erica Dotson, 31, spoke for two hours. It was the first time the public had heard from the defendant since her 2021 arrest.“I genuinely believed my son was just having accidents. I believed everything that Josh said,” Dotson said. “I just didn’t see what was going on. I wasn’t home much.”Dotson and her boyfriend, Joshua Manns, are charged in the death of her son, Jameson Nance. They are being tried separately.Manns told authorities he had a seizure while Jameson was in the bathtub on the day he died. He said Jameson wasn’t breathing when he regained consciousness.“I said, ‘What do you mean? Did you call 911?’ He said no,” Dotson said.A medical examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma sustained over an extended period of time. In the days leading up to Jameson’s death in June 2021, Dotson said she noticed a large lump on his head. But both Manns and Jameson told her it was an accident.She said her son was prone to injuries, including a broken leg earlier that year. There was also a time when Jameson had a black eye. Dotson said he got it from another child at daycare, though the school had no record of the incident.Following the more recent head injury, Dotson testified that she wanted to take her son to the hospital because the bruising and swelling were getting worse. She said Manns argued with her about it.“He said he was sorry and that he loved Jameson,” Dotson said. “That he would never do anything to hurt Jameson and that he promised me the next day when I went to work that he’d protect him.”Jameson was killed the following day. According to the medical examiner, he had dozens of bruises and stab wounds to the head.“He didn’t look like that,” Dotson said. “I told Detective Campos, he didn’t have all that swelling. He didn’t look like that when I left that morning. He had swelling on his eyes, but he didn’t look like that.”Dotson and Manns both face the death penalty if convicted.“I’m the only female in Brevard County facing the death penalty,” Dotson said.The state is expected to call rebuttal witnesses on Tuesday. Closing arguments will follow.
Breaking Update: A judge has declared a mistrial in the murder of a 3-year-old boy over a discovery violation involving an interview.
The judge said prosecutors withheld key evidence and testimony from the defense—something that warrants a mistrial.
>> Developing story, this will be updated
Monday’s story:
The mother accused in her 3-year-old son’s murder took the stand in her own defense Monday afternoon.
Erica Dotson, 31, spoke for two hours. It was the first time the public had heard from the defendant since her 2021 arrest.
“I genuinely believed my son was just having accidents. I believed everything that Josh said,” Dotson said. “I just didn’t see what was going on. I wasn’t home much.”
Dotson and her boyfriend, Joshua Manns, are charged in the death of her son, Jameson Nance. They are being tried separately.
Manns told authorities he had a seizure while Jameson was in the bathtub on the day he died. He said Jameson wasn’t breathing when he regained consciousness.
“I said, ‘What do you mean? Did you call 911?’ He said no,” Dotson said.
A medical examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma sustained over an extended period of time. In the days leading up to Jameson’s death in June 2021, Dotson said she noticed a large lump on his head. But both Manns and Jameson told her it was an accident.
She said her son was prone to injuries, including a broken leg earlier that year. There was also a time when Jameson had a black eye. Dotson said he got it from another child at daycare, though the school had no record of the incident.
Following the more recent head injury, Dotson testified that she wanted to take her son to the hospital because the bruising and swelling were getting worse. She said Manns argued with her about it.
“He said he was sorry and that he loved Jameson,” Dotson said. “That he would never do anything to hurt Jameson and that he promised me the next day when I went to work that he’d protect him.”
Jameson was killed the following day. According to the medical examiner, he had dozens of bruises and stab wounds to the head.
“He didn’t look like that,” Dotson said. “I told Detective Campos, he didn’t have all that swelling. He didn’t look like that when I left that morning. He had swelling on his eyes, but he didn’t look like that.”
Dotson and Manns both face the death penalty if convicted.
“I’m the only female in Brevard County facing the death penalty,” Dotson said.
The state is expected to call rebuttal witnesses on Tuesday. Closing arguments will follow.
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