BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – More than three years after the death of 12-year-old Danilo Coles, his father is finally facing a jury in Bexar County.
Opening proceedings in the trial of Derrick Coles began Tuesday morning in Judge Joel Perez’s 437th Bexar County Criminal District courtroom. Before potential jurors entered, defense attorneys sought to exclude several pieces of evidence from the case.
Coles, who is charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, is accused of abusing his son in February 2022 so severely that the boy did not survive. Prosecutors said Danilo was beaten and burned by his parents, with injuries covering his body.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled his cause of death as rhabdomyolysis — a breakdown of muscle tissue caused by extreme exertion.
Defense attorney William Davidson asked the court to suppress a 911 call, autopsy photographs and statements made by Coles’ wife, Kapri Cheatom, at the time of the boy’s death.
Davidson argued the defense had not received advance notice of the 911 call, the autopsy photographs were too graphic and Cheatom’s statements were irrelevant.
Cheatom, who is also charged in the case but is being tried separately, appeared in court Tuesday morning for a status hearing on her own charges. Perez said a hearing on her motions would take place after Coles’ trial concludes.
Perez did not make immediate rulings on the defense’s motions in Coles’ trial, saying he would review each request as evidence is presented in court.
If convicted, Coles faces up to life in prison. The trial is expected to continue on Wednesday.
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