Murder charges against suspected Colorado baby killer are DROPPED after prosecutor gave TV interview claiming ‘he was only watching the baby so he can get laid’
- William Jacobs, 22, was charged with the murder of 10-month-old Edward Hayes
- Prosecutor Linda Stanley said Jacobs looked at the baby while he was ‘having sex’
- The mother, Brook Crawford, and Jacobs had their cases dismissed
Charges against A Colorado A man accused of killing his girlfriend’s baby has been dismissed after a prosecutor made disparaging comments about him during an interview.
William Jacobs, 22, was accused of shaking 10-month-old Edward Hayes to death at the Motel 6 in Canon City where all three lived on May 21, 2023.
Police said he cared for Hayes while the baby’s 21-year-old mother, Brook Crawford, was at work and had previously admitted to abusing him.
A year after Haye’s death, charges against Jacobs were dismissed by a Fremont County judge because of comments 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley made during an interview, the reported Daily record in Canon City.
“I’m going to be very blunt here. He has made no investment in this child. Zero. He’s watching that baby so he can get laid. That is it. And make sure you have a place to sleep,” Stanley said KRDO in August.
William Jacobs (pictured), 22, was accused of shaking 10-month-old Edward Hayes to death at the Motel 6 in Canon City where all three lived on May 21, 2023
Charges against Jacobs were dropped due to disparaging comments 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley (pictured) made during an interview
“There were just so many buzzers going off when they said the boyfriend was looking at him. There were a lot of things that pointed to a previous incident with that baby.”
Jacobs reportedly stayed at Motel 6, where Crawford worked at the front desk, and moved into her room shortly after they met.
On May 21, 2023, police were called to Motel 6, where Hayes was found unconscious and transported to Children’s Hospital in Colorado Springs, where he died two days later.
According to an arrest affidavit, Jacobs said he was changing the baby’s diaper when “he became stiff and started making gurgling noises.”
He admitted to biting Haye’s arm while playing with him and slamming the baby’s head into the bathroom doorframe while trying to get him to vomit.
The El Paso County coroner ruled Hayes’ cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head.
Jacobs was charged with first-degree murder and Crawford was charged with child abuse.
Jacobs reportedly stayed at Motel 6 (pictured) where Hayes’ mother, Brook Crawford, worked the front desk
A judge dismissed the case against Crawford (pictured) in September after her lawyers argued that Stanley’s comments were ‘very damaging’
On July 12, 2023, Stanley appeared on behalf of the People at a personal conference before Jacobs, the only time she participated in the case.
She then did a sit-down interview with KRDO in August, where she accused Jacobs of hooking up with Crawford to “get laid” and have a place to sleep.
Stanley claimed she believed she was speaking “off the record,” but a judge dismissed the case against Crawford in September after her lawyers argued Stanley’s comments were “very prejudicial.”
On Wednesday, Fremont County District Court Judge Kaitlin Turner dismissed the case against Jacobs for similar reasons.
“After reviewing the totality of the facts, the Court concludes that DA Stanley’s actions reflect knowing and intentionally shameful government conduct,” a copy of the dismissal order obtained by KTV said.
“As a result, dropping the charges is an appropriate resolution.”
Stanley faces an ethics complaint and possible suspension, with a two-week hearing scheduled for June.
