A new trial date is now set for a Manhattan man accused in the 2018 death of his former girlfriend’s 2-month-old son.
At a status conference Monday in Riley County District Court, a Jan. 13 date was set in the case of 23-year-old D’Khari Lyons, charged with first-degree murder in the death of Michael Calvert, Jr. Judge Meryl Wilson will preside over the trial, which has been set for five days. The state and the defense agreed to have juror questionnaires mailed out before the end of the year.
Last month, a jury was unable to render a verdict, resulting in a mistrial. Jurors sat through four days of testimony from medical experts, family members and Lyons himself, who took the stand in his own defense. The state alleges Lyons, who was watching the child, acted out of frustration when he fatally injured the child Nov. 8, 2018. The defense argues there was a lack of evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lyons ultimately was responsible.
A motion to modify bond was approved after public defender Cole Hawver sought it be reduced from $500,000 down to $25,000, based on Lyons’ lack of criminal history. Judge Wilson settled on reducing it to $100,000 on a condition that Lyons not leave Kansas and report weekly to his bond supervisor.
