Lemay sentenced to over 27 years in prison

By Rapids City Times staff

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – A Wisconsin Rapids man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for shaking his three-month-old daughter.

Joseph Lemay was sentenced on Dec. 26 to 27.5 years in prison for causing brain damage to his infant daughter that put her into a medically-induced coma.

Reports say Lemay shook his infant daughter when she wouldn't stop crying, and she got sick an hour later.The next day he shook her again and slammed the baby into the couch, which caused the child to have a seizure. Lemay did not take the child to the hospital.

At the time Lemay was on probation and under order not to be in contact with the baby or her mother.

Lemay has been convicted before for violent crimes, including first-degree reckless injury with a dangerous weapon and threatening force. The sentence exceeds what was originally requested by state attorney Craig Lambert, who was asking for 20 years.

Judge Greg Potter also gave Lemay 20 years of extended supervision following his nearly 30-year prison sentence. Lemay will start serving that sentence following his current three-and-a-half year prison sentence for violating his probation.