Death sentence in baby ‘exorcism’ murder

Labeled by prosecutors as a “monster” who deserves “the ultimate penalty,” convicted murderer Blaine Keith Milam was sentenced late Thursday night to die by lethal injection for his role in the beating death of his girlfriend’s daughter.

Milam, 20, was convicted of capital murder May 17 for killing 13-month-old Amora Carson, the daughter of his girlfriend, Jessica Carson.

Amora Carson died from blunt-force trauma inflicted on her Dec. 2, 2008. Milam and Jessica Carson, both of Rusk County, said they repeatedly struck the toddler with an unknown object in an attempt to remove demons from the child during an exorcism. An expert during the trial said 23 of 24 bite marks found on Amora Carson’s body belonged to Milam.

Jessica Carson is in the Rusk County Jail awaiting her trial. Milam’s trial had been moved to the Montgomery County Courthouse from Rusk County because of pretrial publicity.

The six-woman, six-man jury deliberated more than eight hours Thursday before unanimously deciding to send Milam to death row.

For Milam to receive the death penalty, the jurors ruled he would be a continual threat to society and had a role in Amora Carson’s death. Although Milam’s attorneys argued their client was mentally retarded and was faced with mitigating factors in the murder, the jury rejected both claims.

After discharging the jury, Rusk County Judge J. Clay Gossett sentenced Milam to death by lethal injection, pending a mandatory appeal by the state. Because of the automatic appeal, no date for Milam’s execution was set.
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