Jury deliberations in the murder trial of Persia Nelson are set to begin today in Schenectady. Nelson, 26, faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the death of her nearly 11-month-old daughter, Halo Branton. The child was discovered in a drainage pipe on the General Electric campus in March 2024.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Christina Tremante-Pelham emphasized that Nelson's actions showed "total abandonment and depraved indifference." Tremante-Pelham argued that Nelson, who was reportedly drunk, did not attempt to save her child, asserting that "being drunk is never an excuse for killing your baby."

In contrast, Nelson's defense attorney, Mark Sacco, argued that Nelson was a "good mother" who was drunk, tired, and cold, and that she did not intend to harm her child. Sacco suggested that Nelson's inability to remember where she placed her baby was plausible given her state at the time. He also pointed out that Nelson was the first to ask about her child when awakened, indicating she was not trying to hide anything.

The trial, which lasted three weeks, included testimony from over 40 witnesses. Both sides presented security camera footage during closing arguments. The defense highlighted a video of Nelson singing in an interrogation room, which Sacco described as a grieving mother mourning her child. Meanwhile, the prosecution showed footage of Nelson at Ellis Hospital, where she stated, "I didn't get drunk to the point of not being able to manage anything."

The jury will now deliberate on Nelson's fate. If convicted, she faces a potential sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Podcasts