A day after deputies escorted him from the courtroom for being uncooperative, jury selection is expected to resume for a Wilkinsburg father charged in the death of his 5-week-old daughter.
According to Channel 11's news partners at
, Lincoln Levys refused on Thursday to participate in his trial, so a judge ordered jury selection to go on without him.
Levys is charged with homicide in the October 2014 death of 5-week-old Sage Levys. According to the criminal complaint, the baby had bruises on her back and arm, plus three broken bones.
Levys was charged separately with abusing his then-20-month-old son with Sheena Alston, as well as her then-7-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
Levys and Alston were both arrested in October 2014 after the newborn was taken from a home on McNary Boulevard and later died at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Alston pleaded guilty in November 2015 to three felony counts of endangering the welfare of children in exchange for testifying at Levys' trial.
Levys had previously dismissed his court-appointed attorney and filed handwritten motions to dismiss the case. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams III denied the motions and ordered the trial to move ahead,
.
On Thursday, after Levys refused to participate in the jury selection, court-appointed attorney Christopher Patarini resumed representing Levy. Patarini and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer DiGiovanni chose four jurors by the end of the day,
. Whether Levys can remain in court during his trial will depend on whether he continues to object.
Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage.
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- Police: Father charged with assault, mom with child endangerment after 5-week-old's death (10/24/14)
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