DES MOINES – A Mason City man incarcerated in a state prison has lost his appeal in a child endangerment case.
Christopher McCoy, age 41, was found guilty in 2007 of child endangerment resulting in the death of 2-year-old Riley Prazak the previous year. On January 10, 2006, McCoy was living with his girlfriend and the child. The child received head injuries while in McCoy’s care and died two days later. McCoy was charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. The jury found him guilty of child endangerment resulting in death.
McCoy was sentenced to terms of imprisonment not to exceed fifty years and five years, to be served consecutively.
McCoy appealed the district court’s denial of his request for postconviction relief from his conviction for child endangerment resulting in death. He claimed that publicity from the Evelyn Miller case was having a negative affect on his trial.
The Iowa Court of Appeals found that McCoy did not show he received ineffective assistance because his defense counsel did not file a motion for change of venue. Also, he did not show he was denied his right to a fair and impartial jury. Last week, the court affirmed the district court decision denying McCoy’s application for postconviction relief.
