William J. Duncan II was 25 in 2008, when he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter for the death of his 3-month-old baby.
WOODBURY -- The Supreme Court of New Jersey has refused to review the prison sentence of a Franklin Township man convicted of killing his son, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office has announced.
William J. Duncan II was 25 in 2008, when he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter for the death of his baby. The boy was just three months old when he died.
The prosecutor's office said Duncan was living in a mobile home with his son's mother in Franklinville on May 23, 2006, when his son was lying on his chest. Duncan admitted in court to forcefully shoving the boy, striking the baby's head on a fish tank in the process. Duncan also admitted to waiting before seeking medical attention for his son, placing him in a cradle and not seeking help until he saw the infant was unresponsive. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
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Duncan -- who has a history of mental problems including bipolar disorder, depression, borderline personality disorder and attention deficit disorder -- has made several appeals since his conviction. In early 2014, he filed for post-conviction relief, citing ineffective legal representation. That motion was shot down. A second appeal this past August was also denied, and on Nov. 18, the state Supreme Court notified the GCPO that judges had refused to hear Duncan's case.
Andy Polhamus may be reached at apolhamus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ajpolhamus. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
