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Jury hears opening statements at start of five-day Dawson trial

By Candice Black 5 min read

A 12-person jury and two alternates heard opening statements from attorneys Tuesday afternoon for a five day trial regarding the alleged murder of a 2-month-old baby in 2020.

Michael A. Dawson Jr., of Marietta, was arrested on July 26, 2020, and charged with the murder of his 2-month-old son Gannon.

Nationwide Children's Hospital reported Gannon sustained a skull fracture, several broken ribs in different stages of healing, new and old hemorrhages consistent with shaking and a skull fracture along with liver damage and bowel bruising, according to detectives with the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Nicole Coil told the jury about the severity of the case and the unsettling content that will be presented to them over the course of the trial.

She said Dawson claimed he had come home from work and was taking care of Gannon while his mother slept. He fed him a bottle and she said Gannon began choking and Dawson administered CPR.

Gannon was quickly taken to Marietta Memorial Hospital before he was life-flighted to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, where he succumbed to his injuries.

"We are asking you to deal with some very sad and tragic circumstances and pictures and testimony that you're not likely to be able to forget any time soon," she said. "Gannon endured significant abuse, injury and trauma over an extended period of time. Sixty-three days is all the time Gannon Dawson was able to spend on this earth."

Because Gannon was born at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Coil said nobody else other than Dawson and Gannon's mother were taking care of the baby and that Dawson is recorded saying Gannon's mother did not harm him.

"Gannon did not have any medical conditions and could not inflict these injuries on himself. The parents confirmed there were no accidents that could have caused injuries," Coil said.

Coil pointed out that Dawson was a new father and mentioned how much stress and pressure excess crying can be on a new parent.

"We can all relate to how difficult that situation can be. Gannon suffered from a slew of injuries and they did not occur at the same time, they arose because Dawson needed the crying to stop," Coil said. "Gannon was likely crying because of his injuries."

It is not believed by the prosecution that there is enough evidence to indicate Dawson woke up on that day with the intention of killing his son.

Defense attorney George Cosenza told the jury Dawson was a loving father who gave Gannon his middle name because of the "joyous" event of his birth.

"There will not be one witness that will ever come in this courtroom that will say he did anything to this child that was abusive, that was wrong, that was violent," Cosenza said. "The state's case is based completely on speculation and assumption. This idea that he somehow couldn't handle the pressure of having a child is just absolute nonsense and there's no evidence to support it."

Cosenza said Dawson is a nonverbal type of person and isn't always able to communicate or find the proper words to express himself.

"The interpretation the state has, that he admitted to killing his precious son, is wrong and will not be supported by the evidence of this case," he said.

Cosenza agreed the trial centers around a difficult topic but hopes jurors will use those emotions to make their decision.

"The evidence is going to twist your heart like it has twisted ours in the years we've been preparing for this case. You're not robots, it's going to impact you," he said. "I hope it does because that emotion in you is going to make you want to make sure that the real person who killed this baby is someday brought to trial and that Gannon does get justice, the justice that he deserves, and that justice is not convicting his loving father, Michael Dawson."

Earlier Tuesday morning, Coil asked those summoned questions about their ability to serve on the jury. Coil will be assisted by prosecutors Kelsey Riffle, former prosecuting attorney Jim Schneider and Captain Bryan Lockhart with the Washington County Sheriff's Department.

Cosenza approached potential jurors to briefly describe the case and asked if anyone had issues being a fair and impartial juror.

"If you have any reservations about it, just know that Michael was indicted by a grand jury. It's an allegation. The grand jury made an allegation charging Michael with these offenses. And he has stood up here in this courtroom and said he is not guilty. That's why we're here," Cosenza said. "If you were sitting right here (in Dawson's seat), would you want someone like yourself sitting on the jury?"

Dawson pleaded not guilty in October 2022 after he was re-indicted that September on charges of two counts of murder, two counts of endangering children, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault.

The first witness will be called to the stand this morning at 9 a.m.

Starting at /week.