Tenn. man released after trial of death of 14-month old daughter

Chattanooga - Mitchell Delashmitt faced trial in the rape and murder of his 14-month old daughter just to be released with time served.

The body of 14-month old Angel was found face down in a pond while with her father, Mitchell Delashmitt in June 2003. Further investigation showed that she had been raped and murdered. During his trial in McMinn County, Tenn., there was a dispute about if the police legally obtained a confession. Delashmitt admitted to raping and murdering Angel but because he was intoxicated and when he asked for an attorney, one was not there when he confessed. Then there was the fact that even thought the medical examiner that did the autopsy was credible at the time of the crime, he was recently arrested for "peddling meds" and the defence was not able to use him as a credible witness against Delashmitt. The original report stated that Delashmitt gave a written confession after asking for an attorney but was also held in a cell for over 90 hours while being questioned. Delashmitt was released on bond for this crime in 2007 and was charged with rape and murder but he pleaded out to charges of reckless homicide and child neglect and was sentenced to five year suspended sentence but given credit for time served and released.