Man Who Was Taped Beating Toddler Gets 25 Years to Life

A baby-sitter’s husband caught on videotape beating a toddler left in her care was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years to life in prison.

Richard Leonard, 30, of Orange was convicted in July of torturing and sexually assaulting the 14-month-old girl.

Leonard’s wife, Lisa, was caring for the child May 16, 1997, in her home when she left to pick up Richard’s and her daughter from school. But a video camera she had set up taped what happened next.

She had installed the camera to learn why she was seeing bruises on the child. She had thought it might show the toddler climbing out of her playpen and falling, according to testimony at the trial.

Instead, it captured Richard Leonard four times. The first time, he picked up the toddler, held her by the arm and punched her four times in the stomach. Other times, he smacked the child’s head against the playpen as she screamed.

Prosecutor Michelle Clesceri said she had never seen such violence captured on videotape. Several jurors said after convicting Leonard that watching the tape was the most traumatic experience of the trial.

Defense attorney Jim Appel had argued that although Richard Leonard attacked the child, the abuse stemmed from severe depression and not maliciousness--a motive required to find him guilty of torture.

Appel also had disputed the sexual assault charge, saying the videotape did not show Leonard molesting the child. But a doctor testified that he found evidence of sexual abuse.