his dad to toughen him up. Nysheera Paris testified that her husband thought their son might be gay, and that he would smack the boy in the back of the head and slam him into walls because he didn't want his son to grow up "soft." Her testimony was corroborated by her sister, Shanita Powell, who said "He was trying to teach him how to fight," and told the court "He was afraid the child might be gay." Family friend Sheldon Bostick, who attended Bible study with the Paris family, testified that Ronnie Paris, Sr., "slap-boxed" with his son because "He didn't want him to be a sissy" Paris Sr. had reported this was how he had been taught, by his father, to take a punch. Forensic pathologist Dr. Sam Gulino noted the child's scarred face and bruised head, and told the court that the lethargy and vomiting spells, the coma and eventual death were due to head trauma that was not accidental but deliberately inflicted. The child's foster mother testified that during the two years he lived with her, Paris never vomited, and had a healthy appetite. Aftermath In July 2005, after three hours of deliberation, a jury convicted Ronnie Paris, Sr. of second degree manslaughter and aggravated child abuse in the death of his son. On August 19, 2005, he was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment, and ten years probation. The mother Nysheera Paris was sentenced to 5 years probation for culpable negligence in the death of her son. The crime is also seen as a hate crime by LGBT supporters, including Tennessee artist James McKissic who premiered a large scale painting of Paris Jr. along with two other "youth of color who were victims of hate crimes" at the Chattanooga African American Museum in 2008. The Gay American Heroes Foundation, memorializing LGBT murder victims of "hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation bias," will include Paris Jr. in their traveling memorial that visits cities where someone has been murdered for being LGBT or thought to be. References External links Ronnie Antonio Paris Memorial Page 2001 births 2005 deaths Murdered American children People murdered in Florida American manslaughter victims American victims of anti-LGBT hate crimes Child abuse resulting in death Deaths by beating in the United States Deaths by person in Florida Incidents of violence against boys