Is a dead baby enough of a wake up call?

[downbeatplumb]

Funny... I'd have said the killing was entirely justified What's a justified killing in law called?

Well... he might have had the opportunity to argue that angle at trial... had he not gone to great lengths to cover it up. Don't think the jury would have bought it. At it turned out, he pled guilty and got two concurrent life sentences, out in 27(?) for good behavior.

Did he throw himself on the mercy of the court on the grounds he was an orphan?

This is the definition of Chutzpah.