Milwaukee Homicide Defendant Called ‘Lying Devil in Disguise’

An emotional, grieving mother addressed her child’s killer in a Milwaukee courtroom on Dec. 15, calling him a “cold-hearted, backstabbing coward” and a “lying devil in disguise.”

Tamio Shipman-Allen was found guilty of killing his girlfriend’s 14-month-old daughter and sentenced to 28 years in prison, and 16 years of extended supervision.

Prosecutors say that the incident, which occurred earlier this year, killed the 14-month-old, Tamiya Dotson, and injured her three-year-old brother.

The family of the victim believes that justice was not served for the child. Members of the victim’s family wore sweatshirts with Dotson’s face on it, as well as her birth and death date.

Taleyah Jackson, the mother of the children, gave a moving statement to the court while wearing a jacket with both her children’s names on it.

“My daughter will get justice when you burn in hell,” said Jackson.

The 22-year-old defendant was charged with three felonies, second degree reckless homicide, child-abuse that recklessly causes great harm, and neglecting a child in which the consequence is bodily harm.

According to the criminal complaint, Shipman-Allen was asked by Jackson to watch the children while she was at work on Sunday, June 4 of this year.

Shipman-Allen said he was frustrated that morning and acted “recklessly” when he pulled the toddler off of the bed, and stomped on her chest.

The defendant also admitted that he “whooped that child” when addressing the child abuse charges in the case of Dotson’s three-year-old brother.

After the incident occurred, Shipman-Allen called Jackson several times at her work to tell her that her daughter was shaking as if she was having a seizure.

“The defendant’s first phone call was not to 911,” said Milwaukee County Deputy District Attorney Matthew Torbenson.

Jackson left immediately from work but was blocked from entering the home by Shipman-Allen who told her that she did not want to “go in there.”

By the time that the Milwaukee Fire Department and Milwaukee Police Department arrived, Dotson was pronounced deceased on scene. The three-year-old boy was taken by ambulance to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

The abuse, according to prosecutors, had been going on for some time.

Shipman-Allen, during the sentencing, began to refer to the incident in which he pled guilty, as an “accident.”

Per Judge Jeffrey A. Conen’s advice the court went into a brief recess and the defendant and his lawyer were taken to a back room to ensure that there was not any confusion as to the case and Shipman-Allen’s plea.

The gallery of the courtroom dispersed into the hallway where there was a confrontation between the defendant’s family and the victims, resulting in a higher security presence and some members from each side being removed from watching the remainder of the sentencing.

Members of the victim’s family gave statements during the sentencing.

Adrian Love, the victim’s grandmother, talked candidly about how hard life has been without Tamiya, and how her forgiveness for Shipman-Allen may come at some point.

“One day I might be able to forgive him, but not today,” Love said.

Sobs echoed from the victim’s side of the gallery as Jackson gave her statement in which she described her always happy, smiling little girl.

“She wasn’t supposed to learn about how cruel the world is yet,” Jackson said.

Tina Allen, the defendant’s mother, gave a statement as well, in which she both defended her son and sympathized with Jackson and her family.

“I don’t know what happened but I’m so sorry,” Allen said.

Allen described her son as someone with a “heart of gold” and was adamant that she “didn’t raise no monster.”

She ended her tearful statement with the words “Lord help us.”

Shipman-Allen gave a statement in which he broke down in tears.

“I’m sorry for what happened,” said Shipman-Allen.

The defendant added that he knows that asking for forgiveness would be selfish.

Shipman-Allen is no stranger to courtrooms.

In 2007, he was accused of sexually assaulting a relative. From there, in 2012, he has been found guilty of driving or operating a vehicle without consent.

He was also found guilty in 2013 of resisting or obstructing an officer. In 2014, while a prisoner, Shipman-Allen was found guilty of throwing or expelling bodily substances.

Judge Conen spoke candidly about Shipman-Allen saying that he was “a difficult person, putting that in mild terms.”

The Department of Corrections uses the Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions tool (COMPAS) to assess the risk and needs of an offender, and how likely they are to be a reoffender.

Conen acknowledged that he does not always look at COMPAS, but did in the case of Shipman-Allen, which revealed that the defendant is at the highest risk for violence and re-offense.

Conen, in his own statement, said that he found no joy in sending anyone to prison.

“It takes a piece of me every day,” Conen said before giving Shipman-Allen his sentence.

The emotional and tense atmosphere of the courtroom shifted as the sentencing came to a close, as the defendant shouted the F-word when a deputy came up behind him to bring him under control.

Someone in the gallery yelled “shoot him.”

Officers were forced to restrain Shipman-Allen and were able to ensure that no one was in harm’s way as he was led out.