man sentenced to life in prison for killing toddler

Matthew Higa, the Hawaii man who killed a toddler by throwing him from a freeway overpass into oncoming traffic two years ago, was sentenced to life in prison last week: Matthew Higa sentenced to life in prison for death of Hawaii toddler. Higa was apparently high on crystal meth at the time:

High on crystal methamphetamine, Higa, 24, threw 23-month-old Cyrus Belt from a freeway overpass into oncoming traffic just before noon Jan. 17, 2008.

Higa's trial underscored the prevalence of crystal meth — commonly known as "ice" — in Island society. Witness after witness, including Higa's father and Cyrus' mother, testified that they smoked the drug with each other and with the killer in the hours and days before the boy was murdered.

"In the dismal history of crystal methamphetamine in Hawaii, the United States and even internationally, the crime committed by this defendant deserves to live in infamy for decades," Prosecutor Peter Carlisle told Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario this morning.

Del Rosario sentenced Higa to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Higa must serve at least 15 years before being considered eligible for parole. But the prosecutor intends to ask Hawaii Paroling Authority to require Higa to spend the rest of his life in prison. It's been two years, but every time I think about this case, it gives me the creeps. More here: Higa sentenced to life for killing Cyrus Belt.