By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Timeline provided for trial of man accused in infant’s death

Jan 8, 2018 | 4:58 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Some insight has been provided into the anticipated trial of a Lethbridge man, accused of second-degree murder in the death of an infant.

In the first appearance in Court of Queen’s Bench for Tyler Brian Hogan since he consented to commit to trial, Crown prosecutor Mac Vomberg stated that the trial is expected to take four weeks, with an additional five days for a voir dire – a trial within a trial to examine certain issues – and pre-trial applications.

The case was then adjourned to Feb. 12, at which time a trial date could be scheduled.

In December, Hogan’s lawyer, Tonii Roulston, consented to the trial, before the judge could make a ruling on a preliminary hearing that was intended to find whether there was enough evidence for the matter to advance that far.

She explained that the threshold to warrant a trial is “very low”, prompting them to agree to take the next step based on the evidence in the case.

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Roulston also noted at the time that they intend to launch several applications, including a potential request for a change of venue.

The case stems from an incident on Apr. 28, 2016, in which EMS responded to a report of a baby in medical distress at a home along the 600 block of 17 Street North. Paramedics arrived to find nine-month old Austin Wright not breathing and in cardiac arrest. He was taken to the Chinook Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Following an investigation by Lethbridge Police, Hogan was charged in July of 2016.

Police noted that the results of an autopsy showed that Austin died from blunt force trauma, not consistent with a fall.