A May trial has been scheduled for a 48-year-old man accused of killing his 2-year-old grandson in the south-central Nebraska town of Naponee.
The Associated Press reports that Peter Draper is charged with intentional child abuse resulting in death and intentional child abuse resulting in serious injury. A court document says Draper had been seen hitting Joseph Rinehart Jr. An autopsy says the boy died April 30, 2012, of head and internal injuries.
Draper’s wife and the boy’s mother are charged with committing intentional child abuse resulting in death. Their trials haven’t been scheduled yet. All three have pleaded not guilty.
His trial will be held in Hastings, in part because the Franklin County courtroom acoustics would have been unfair to Draper because of his hearing impairment.