St. Cloud man sentenced to death by jury for fatally beating infant son presents evidence to judge

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A 33-year-old St. Cloud man convicted of beating his 3-month-old son to death in 2013 was back in court Wednesday to present a judge new evidence before the jury's recommended death sentence is made official.

Larry Perry was found guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in July and the jury came back a week later and recommended sentencing him to death.

Wednesday's Spencer hearing was a chance for Perry's attorney to give the judge more information before the decision was made to accept, or reject, the jury's recommendation.

Investigators said Perry beat Ayden Perry so badly at their home in February 2013 that the boy died.

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In handcuffs and wearing an orange jumpsuit, Perry kept his head down for most of the hearing.

He told the judge that he regretted what happened and wanted to say the things he couldn't during his July sentencing.

"I was trying to raise my son by myself," he said. "(I) just wanted to say I'm sorry."

During his trial, Perry said he didn't remember anything that happened the day Ayden died, but he told jurors that he snapped because the boy wouldn't stop crying.

Clinical psychologist Hyman Eisenstein testified during Wednesday's hearing, echoing some of the testimony that came out during the trial.

"(Perry) did not have the cognitive capacity, the functioning ability, to perform the duties of raising an infant," Eisenstein said. "I would additionally diagnose him as being on the autism spectrum disorder due to his underdeveloped social and emotional functioning."

Dr. Gregory Prichard, who was called to the stand by the prosecution, disagreed with the assessment.

"In my interaction with him, it never crossed my mind," he said. "I would say he's not an autistic person."

The defense and prosecution have 30 days to submit more arguments before the judge decides if Perry will be sentenced to death or life in prison.

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Cox Media Group