Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Boy’s Slaying

A Fountain Valley man was sentenced to four years in state prison Friday for the slaying of his 15-month-old nephew in 1989.

Sherman Robert Corwin, 21, gave an emotional apology before receiving the maximum penalty, saying he wished that he could trade places with the dead child, according to Deputy Public Defender Marri Derby.

“He is visibly upset by the incident and feels horrible about it,” Derby said. “He apologized for the grief that was caused to both families.”

Derby said she believed the judge issued the maximum sentence to appease family members who were angry that Corwin was acquitted of murder during his trial in February and instead found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

“I am disappointed with the sentencing, but not surprised,” Derby said. “I knew the judge would want to appease the anger the family felt, and I understand that. But this really doesn’t solve Corwin’s problem. He needs required mental health treatment, and now he will not be forced to get it.”

Derby also said that because Corwin already had served more than two years in Orange County Jail, he would only have to serve about one year in prison and one more year on parole.

At his trial in Harbor Superior Court, defense psychiatrists said Corwin suffers from a severe mood disorder called “unipolar depression,” which enabled him to intentionally kill the child. They also said he inherited the illness from his mother, who committed suicide when he was 7.

Corwin had been living with his sister, Cheryl, and her husband, Greg, in Fountain Valley. He was baby-sitting their son, Thomas Negri, along with the boy’s 4-year-old sister, when the slaying occurred.

Corwin admitted that he stuffed a sock in the boy’s mouth, choked the child, tied a plastic bag over the baby’s head, and then got a larger plastic bag and tied it around the child’s head with a sock. The baby died of suffocation.

Derby said the children’s mother has not spoken to Corwin since the death.

“She has a dead child and doesn’t understand why,” Derby said. “I understand that, because it is a terrible situation and just like I’ve said from the very beginning, there are no winners. Everybody suffers in a situation like this.”