The re-trial of Kevin Andre Towles could begin as early as May (2015).

Towles had been convicted of beating his five year old son to death with a piece of wood in December, 2006; he had previously been sentenced to die; however the Alabama Supreme Court threw out his 2009 capital murder conviction late last year (2014) – citing what they termed “improper testimony”.

The child’s mother – Shalinda Glass of Boaz – told investigators Geontae had been asleep in the back seat of her car when the vehicle was stolen in Albertville; that story proved to be a lie and the boy was later found dead, wrapped in a blanket, in the trunk of the vehicle.

Shalinda Glass eventually pled guilty to murder in 2012 and was given a life sentence while Towles continued to maintain his innocence.

It its decision last year the state Supreme Court ruled that in the previous trial – testimony by Towles’ 15 year old son regarding a beating he had received prejudiced the case, in that it did not prove that Towles’ meant to kill five year old Geontae during the beating that took his life.

(al.com/www.al.com)