63-year-old Susette James was found guilty of capital murder in a Dallas County Court on May 3, 2024. James was convicted of murdering her four-week-old grandson, Zhylon Philips, in the early morning hours of October 22, 2022. The incident occurred in James' apartment near Greenville and 635.
According to police reports, the baby's mother was hospitalized and in the intensive care unit at the time of the incident. James was responsible for caring for her two young grandchildren. She alerted her daughter via FaceTime that morning, informing her that the baby was unresponsive. Emergency services were dispatched, and attempts to resuscitate the infant were unsuccessful. The autopsy revealed that the baby had died due to abusive head trauma.
James was represented by Taylor Willis and Ann Duffy as her legal counsel. The prosecution team included DA Investigators Joe Mundy, Lorraine Resendez, and Tomicka McCloud, along with DA Victim Advocate Yvonne Macias. The Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation.
As a result of the guilty verdict, James was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
