Man charged with homicide in 8-year-old's death headed to trial

PITTSBURGH — A judge Friday ordered a man to stand trial in the death of his ex-fiancée’s 8-year-old son and will let a jury decide whether he’s guilty.

Orlando Williams is accused of slamming Aliehsa Lininger’s son JonMarquis so hard onto a bed that the child bounced off and was severely injured. He later died at a hospital.

Lininger’s family members raised new allegations in court Friday, saying Lininger told police years ago that Williams was beating her and her son.

JonMarquis’ aunt testified that Lininger told her back in 2013 that her then-boyfriend, Williams, beat her and her son. The aunt said Lininger told her that JonMarquis was physically abused by Williams and saw pictures of the boy with bruises on his body.

When the aunt called Children, Youth and Families Services, Lininger stopped speaking to her, and now, three years later, JonMarquis is dead and Williams is charged with first-degree murder.

"I think the focus right now is on the loss of this little boy, and I think we keep the focus on that,” defense attorney Anne Marie Mancuso said.

Williams's defense attorney said what happened in the early morning of June 20 inside a North Braddock home was a horrible accident.

Police said Williams told them he was angry that JonMarquis wouldn't clean his room, so he threw the 8-year-old onto a bed. The boy bounced off, hit the floor and became unresponsive.

"I think the evidence that was presented today and the evidence that exists in this case is that this is no intentional act,” Mancuso said.

A county detective testified to a different version of events, saying JonMarquis's older brother told police that he saw Williams punch JonMarquis in the chest so hard that the boy couldn't breathe.

The 8-year-old died three days after being brought to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Mancuso said she hopes to get the homicide charge reduced to involuntary manslaughter.

A trial date has not yet been set.

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