Prosecution motion for continuance denied

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A judge Wednesday denied a request by prosecutors to delay a trial scheduled to begin Monday for a man accused of killing his 15-month-old son.

Judge Shirley J. Christian of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court made her ruling after hearing arguments in court Tuesday and meeting with lawyers in her chambers Wednesday.

Prosecutors had been asking for a 45-day continuance of a trial set to begin Monday for Larry Dawson, 24, of Wesley Avenue, to rebut a report by a defense expert.

Dawson’s attorney objected Tuesday, saying the state has had ample time to prepare its case.

Dawson is charged with murder and two counts of child endangering in the Dec. 12, 2012, death of his 15-month-old son, Rayvon.

The murder count says Dawson caused his son’s death by committing child endangering. The first child-endangering count says he abused and caused serious physical harm to the toddler, and the second one says he created a substantial risk to his son’s health or safety by violating a parental duty of care.