MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) -
A 38-year-old Iowa inmate prosecuted for the death of his girlfriend's toddler has appealed his conviction.
The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that a hearing is set Oct. 24 for Christopher McCoy. He's been serving a 55-year sentence since being convicted of involuntary manslaughter and of child endangerment.
McCoy says in his appeal that his trial attorney failed to request that McCoy's trial be moved to another county and didn't object to the prosecutor's courtroom attacks on McCoy's character.
Authorities say McCoy was taking care of 2-year-old Riley Prazak on Jan. 10, 2006, while the boy's mother was at work. McCoy says he was sleeping when the boy fell from a bed.
The boy died three days later at a hospital.