Dad rejects plea deal in death of 18-month-old daughter (Adams County, Ohio)

Dad DAVID CHAMBERS is charged with 2 counts of murder in the death of his 18-month-old daughter, but has rejected a plea deal.

http://www.peoplesdefender.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=83&ArticleID=131227

Friday April 09, 2010

Chambers rejects plea deal in death of daughter
Carleta Weyrich
The People's Defender

David Chambers appeared in Adams County Court of Common Pleas last week for a pretrial in the state of Ohio's child murder case against him. Chambers is charged with two counts of murder, special felonies, for the death of his 18-month-old daughter, LaKaylee Chambers, in September 2009.

As of the hearing, plea negotiations had reached an impasse between Chambers, represented by Herman Carson, public defender from Athens, and the prosecution.

"I don't want to negotiate a plea," Chambers said during the pre-trial. "I want to go to trial."

The trial is scheduled for the second week of May.

On March 25, Chambers filed a letter with the court, written to Judge Brett Spencer, in which was a plea to have a contact visit with his wife, La Shea Chambers, and their infant son, born after his arrest. Spencer denied the request.

Two previous requests for Chambers to be with his family, including a request to attend LaKaylee's funeral, were denied.

The life of the Manchester toddler ended at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati on Sept. 17, 2009, two days after she suffered injuries at the Chambers home. The 18-month-old girl's father, 21 at the time, was arrested by detectives from the Adams County Sheriff's Office at the hospital the day before LaKaylee died.

In October 2009, Chambers was indicted by the Adams County grand jury for the two counts of murder. Chambers was arraigned on the charges in Adams County Court of Common Pleas on Oct. 26.

According to court documents, Chambers was charged with causing the death of a child as a "proximate result" of committing a felonious assault. Chambers was also charged with causing the death of a child as a "proximate result" of endangering children. Chambers entered a not guilty plea for each charge, and bond was set at $500,000 for each charge.