A McMinn County, Tenn., man will have an opportunity on May 11 to defend himself against child rape and murder charges after seven years and eight delays in the case.
Mitchell Delashmitt is charged with raping and killing his 15-month-old daughter, Angel, after she was found floating in a farm pond in 2003.
A court hearing Monday firmly set the May 11 date for trial.
Prosecutors say Mr. Delash-mitt took brutal steps toward Angel’s death, including shaking, raping and eventually drowning the baby.
“There’s a lot of evidence from a lot of different witnesses, from the family to police officers to forensic folks involved,” McMinn County District Attorney Jim Stutts said.