Killing that sparked boy to ‘divorce’ his dad going to court

In this May, 7, 2001 photo, Daniel Holland sits at the defendants table at the start of his trial for murder in Norfolk Superior Court, in Dedham, Mass. Holland was convicted and imprisoned for the homicide of his wife Elizabeth. The couple’s 8-year-old son found his mother’s body and years later won a groundbreaking legal battle to terminate his father’s parental rights. Holland is appealing a judge’s refusal to grant him a new trial. (Greg Derr/The Quincy Patriot Ledger via AP) In this May, 7, 2001 photo, Daniel Holland sits at the defendants table at the start of his trial for murder in Norfolk Superior Court, in Dedham, Mass. Holland was convicted and imprisoned for the homicide of his wife Elizabeth. The couple’s 8-year-old son found his mother’s body and years later won a groundbreaking legal battle to terminate his father’s parental rights. Holland is appealing a judge’s refusal to grant him a new trial. (Greg Derr/The Quincy Patriot Ledger via AP)

By Associated Press November 10, 2016 4 min read

BOSTON (AP) – It was a horrific murder: a Massachusetts man shot his estranged wife seven times, and then bludgeoned her with the butt of a rifle. The couple’s 8-year-old son found his mother’s beaten and bloodied body the next day.

The boy later won a groundbreaking legal battle to “divorce” his father.

Now, nearly two decades after the murder, the case is headed to the state’s top court. Daniel Holland is appealing a judge’s refusal to grant him a new trial, arguing that his lawyers failed to present evidence of his mental health issues. The state Supreme Judicial Court is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday.

On Oct. 14, 1998, eight-year-old Patrick Holland walked into his mother’s bedroom in their house in Quincy and found her body. He ran outside in his underwear and told a neighbor that someone had shot his mom.

“Who is going to take care of me now?” he asked.