A judge entered not-guilty pleas Monday for a couple accused of starving a 7-year-old boy to death.
Jon Phillips and Sarah Berry are charged with first-degree murder in the May death of Chandler Grafner, who was in their care.
Phillips and Berry are scheduled to go to trial the week of March 31, and defense attorneys said in court that the trial is expected to last three weeks. After entering the not-guilty pleas, Denver District Judge John Madden said he would request a jury pool of 120 people to make sure attorneys could find an impartial jury.
Prosecutors said the defense should receive DNA and fiber evidence in a few days, and Berry’s defense attorney said they subpoenaed and received records from Chandler’s school.
Police have said that Chandler was kept in a closet that was soiled with his feces and urine, and there have been questions about Chandler being absent from school for a month before his death.
Arthur Kane, The Denver Post
