COFFEE COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — An appeals court recently made a decision involving a Manchester father convicted three years ago in connection with his baby's death, paving the way for a new trial.

Gavin Clark claimed his infant son, Noah Clark, died from a tragic accident in January 2020, but doctors testified the injuries looked more like abuse.

While he was initially charged with murder, a jury found Gavin guilty of lesser charges, including reckless homicide, in September 2022. He got 23 years in prison.

"His head was the first initial thing that hit," Gavin said as he took the stand in September 2022.

Noah was just 5 weeks old when he died. The boy's father -- who was 21 years old at the time of the incident -- claimed he tripped on a toy and fell down the stairs while holding Noah. However, during the trial, medical experts said the baby suffered head trauma that looked like abuse

"He had bruising on his head and face in multiple places," Dr. Kristina Betters, with Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, testified three years ago.

His mother, Angel Liggins, still claims his innocence.

"It was an accident of the fall," Liggins said. "It's very hard to face, I mean, to know what Gavin has gone through since he's been incarcerated, to be taken away from his children, his siblings, friends, the community. He's such an amazing person, such an amazing person, so to see anyone go through something like this is so unfair."

An appeals court found the jury's verdict was ambiguous because of how jurors filled out the verdict form. The court said jurors appeared to simultaneously acquit and convict Gavin.

Liggins called the appeals court's decision to overturn Gavin's conviction a victory for her family as they continue to grieve Noah, as well as Gavin.

"We're all still suffering. Every day, we are aware that Gavin's not home; we can never get Noah back," Liggins said.

According to documents, the trial judge also failed to act as the "thirteenth juror," which is where the trial judge is supposed to review the jury's decision to ensure it's not against the evidence.

Overall, the court filing doesn't say Clark is innocent or that the evidence was insufficient during the trial, but rather the way the verdict was delivered was flawed. As a result, the case is being sent back for another trial.

"To get his freedom and it to be considered, it's a very big deal," Liggins said.

News 2 spoke to Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott. He shared his disappointment from this appeal but said there are still more steps that need to take place before a new trial date is set.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/appeals-court-overturns-manchester-fathers-conviction-in-infants-death/