D'Ostroph murder trial postponed

COSHOCTON - Judge Robert Batchelor has delayed a jury trial for Nathan M. D'Ostroph, a Coshocton man charged with murder in the September death of a 7-month-old girl he was baby-sitting at his home.

D'Ostroph, 24, of 154-C Burt Ave., is now scheduled to stand trial Dec. 13 to 16 in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court.

He has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge and remains in custody in the Coshocton County Justice Center on $1 million bond. He could face 15 years to life in prison if convicted as charged.

Authorities say the baby's parents picked her up from D'Ostroph's home about 4:30 p.m. Sept. 8. She was unresponsive, and they took her to the Coshocton Hospital, officials said. She died of brain trauma in an Akron hospital three days later.

D'Ostroph had been scheduled for trial starting Aug. 23, but Batchelor postponed the trial Monday to give prosecutors time to respond to expert reports from the defense that are not yet available. While those reports are expected to come within a couple of days, Batchelor said, the state will need time to study them and have its own experts respond.

Batchelor made that ruling in a pretrial hearing Monday morning in his courtroom. He has scheduled the next pretrial for 10 a.m. Nov. 14.

D'Ostroph appeared in court Monday with defense attorney William Mooney.

jwilliams6@gannett.com

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