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Testimony wraps up in Dawson case
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Spectators in the trial of a man charged with killing his 15-month-old son were warned Thursday about talking to jurors.
Judge Shirley J. Christian of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court issued the warning just before testimony began against Larry Dawson, 26, of Wesley Avenue, accused of murder and two counts of child endangering in the death of his son Rayvon Stewart in December 2012.
Court officials would not say if a juror had been contacted – which is prohibited – but Judge Christian made it a point to say that no contact at all is allowed. She also met with attorneys from both sides in her chambers before court began Thursday, which delayed the proceedings for about an hour.
“No one should have any contact,” Judge Christian said. “Any attempt to influence the jury in any way, I will do everything in my power to see that it is stopped.”
Rayvon died from severe blunt force trauma to the back of the head. Prosecutors charged Dawson, who was caring for the baby when he suffered the fatal injury.
Dawson’s attorney, Joseph Gardner, has suggested that the injury was caused by an accident, such as falling down the stairs of an Oregon Avenue apartment where Dawson was staying when Rayvon died.
Testimony finished Thursday afternoon, and closing arguments are set for today.
The last witness was Dr. George Sterbenc, the pathologist in the Summit County Coroner’s Office who performed the autopsy on Rayvon. The autopsy was performed there because the child died in Akron Children’s Hospital. He was called by prosecutors to rebut testimony by a defense expert who said Rayvon could have suffered the fatal injury during a fall and the injury could have happened a couple of days before Rayvon died.
Sterbenc said there was no way the baby’s injuries could have been sustained in a fall. He said there were several blunt-force injuries to the back of Rayvon’s head and if Rayvon had fallen, it would have caused a permament skull fracture, which Rayvon did not have.
Sterbenc also said the injury Rayvon suffered was so severe there was no way he could have been functioning for several days before he stopped breathing.
“Could Rayvon have been running and walking for two days before this injury?” Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamessa asked Sterbenc.
“That would be impossible,” Sterbenc answered.