BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Brevard County man accused in the child-abuse death of 3-year-old Jameson Nance has accepted a plea agreement that allows him to avoid the possibility of death row.
Joshua Manns, 30, entered a no-contest plea Wednesday while jury selection was underway for his first-degree murder trial in Viera. As part of the agreement with the State Attorney’s Office, Manns was found guilty of second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, child neglect with great bodily harm, and child abuse.
Under the plea deal, Manns will serve 60 years in prison for second-degree murder. Additional sentences of 30 years each for aggravated child abuse and child neglect, along with 26 years for child abuse, will run concurrently with the 60-year sentence.
Investigators say Manns and the child’s mother, Erica Dotson, subjected Jameson to months of abuse before his death in June 2021 at a West Melbourne apartment. Prosecutors said the toddler suffered injuries, including a broken rib, brain swelling, and stab wounds.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, an autopsy determined Jameson died from severe, ongoing physical abuse, contradicting Manns’ claim that the child accidentally drowned in a bathtub.
Circuit Judge Steve Henderson scheduled formal sentencing for Monday, June 22, at 9 a.m. in Viera. Jameson’s surviving family members are expected to have the opportunity to provide victim impact statements.
Dotson, 32, also faces charges including first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. Prosecutors allege she participated in and failed to stop the abuse. A previous trial ended in a mistrial, and her retrial is scheduled to begin July 20.
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