Dad on trial for murder for slamming 4-month-old son into a bed (Troy, New York)

The four-month-old baby son proved to be no match for the 500 lb. dad, ADRIAN THOMAS, who apparently "got frustrated" over a "domestic dispute" and slammed the baby into a bed. The baby died a few days later.

http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/07/03/news/doc4a4dbf5576166506039389.txt


Trial set for dad accused of murdering his son

TROY — The trial for a city man accused of murdering his infant son last September by slamming him against a bed has been slated for Sept. 28.


Adrian Thomas faces a charge of second-degree murder for allegedly taking out his frustrations over a domestic dispute on his 4-month-old old son, leading to the infant’s death several days later.


That child is named in the indictment as Matthew Thomas, and while the defense has maintained medical records back that it was actually his twin brother Malachi who was killed, Judge Robert Jacon dismissed a motion for a hearing on that subject two months ago.


On Thursday, Jacon pushed back the tentative trial date to accommodate the busy summer schedules of First Assistant District Attorney Art Glass and public defender Ingrid Effman. The Sept. 28 date also allows for routine, pre-trial suppression hearings to take place on Sept. 10 and 11.


Stemming from the original omnibus motion filed in February by the defense, the hearings will determine the admissibility of statements Thomas gave to police, as well as the validity and legality of other circumstances surrounding his arrest.


Thomas underwent extensive interviews with police as his son struggled for his life in the hospital. The defense maintains Thomas requested an attorney but was assured by investigators that he would not be facing criminal charges for what they allegedly said was a Family Court matter.


During those interviews, Thomas gave a statement to police in which the then 500-pound 26-year-old said he slammed the child against the bed “pretty hard” in admittedly misdirected anger towards his wife.


Some nine hours of videotaped interviews will need to be transcribed in advance of the September hearings.


Thomas spent time in Samaritan Hospital as a suicide risk after threatening to jump off a bridge if his son died, according to the defense’s motion. When the child died on Sept. 24, the charge against him was upped from attempted murder to second-degree murder.

— Dave Canfield