SCHENECTADY — John Batease yanked his girlfriend's crying 20-month-old son from a crib two separate times on Father's Day last year, "forcefully" threw the toddler against it, then tossed him into the air and watched him fall to the floor.

"In other words, you wanted that child to hit the floor?" Acting Schenectady County Judge Michael Coccoma asked Batease on Friday when Batease was not forthcoming with details about the June 19 death of Asiah Maxam.

"Yes, sir," the city man responded calmly.

"Why did you throw him in the air?" Coccoma asked Batease, 33.

"I was frustrated, just overwhelmed with taking care of some one else's kids, and my kids, and with relationships," he answered.

Batease was babysitting Asiah and his four older brothers and sisters when he snapped. It wasn't until Asiah stopped breathing that Batease ran with him across Hattie Street to a neighbor's house to get help, he told the judge.

Batease later cupped his hand over his face, sobbed and uttered something about "going to hell."

He offered the details about the crime after Coccoma requested the autopsy report and the prosecutor said that Asiah suffered "multiple injuries" to his face, neck, scalp, right cheek and forearm.

The report shows Asiah suffered a skull fracture and had bleeding on the brain from blunt force trauma, the prosecutor said.

Before reviewing the documents with his lawyer, Batease had told Coccoma that he threw Asiah about three feet into the air "and attempted to catch him but did not."

Asiah's family and friends — including his mother, Jamie Darrel and father, James Maxam — listened to the testimony, sometimes crying and shaking.

When Coccoma was satisfied that Betease recklessly and deliberately killed Asiah, he allowed Batease to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter in exchange for a term of 22 years in prison. He will be sentenced on Aug 27.

The plea bargain also imposes an 8-year order of protection for Asiah's four siblings when Batease is released from prison.

Outside the courtroom, District Attorney Robert Carney lauded Coccoma for his "masterful display" in bringing the truth to light. Assistant District Attorney Tracey Brunecz said the family is happy "to the extent that they don't have to relive the trauma of this" through a trial.

"They are relieved to have as close to the truth as we'll probably hear," said Brunecz who, along with Christina Tremante-Pelham, would have tried the murder case against Batease had he not accepted the plea after twice rejecting an offer. The penalty he accepted Friday is identical to an offer he rejected in January and on Thursday he rebuffed a deal for a 20-year sentence because of his unwillingness to provide the details the judge wanted.

His attorney, Kent Gebert, said his client is "genuinely remorseful and wants to put this behind him."

pnelson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5347 • @apaulnelson