MANHATTAN — A four-hour preliminary examination has been scheduled for a Manhattan man accused in the murder of an infant child last month.
D’Khari Lyons, 23, appeared in Riley County District Court Tuesday from his jail cell, one month to the day after the death of 2-month old Michael Calvert Jr. Lyons appeared with counsel, as Chief Public Defender Cole Hawver was appointed to defend him. Hawver requested a preliminary examination to review documents to determine how the case proceeds. Judge William Malcolm set the next hearing for 9 a.m. Feb. 1 in Riley County District Court.
According to an affidavit obtained by KMAN, Lyons told police the baby was making coughing and gagging sounds and tried to rearrange the baby in the crib to help keep him from choking. Lyons noticed the baby’s eyes rolling to the back of his head but denied that he moved the baby in a manner that would have caused the baby’s head to hit something or for any object to come in contact with his head. The child’s mother was reportedly not home at the time and Lyons was later arrested.
Lyons is charged with first-degree murder and child abuse. A medical examiner has determined that Calvert died from blunt force trauma to the head. The manner of death was listed as a homicide.
