News

Actions

Court clears way for trial for Sean Phillips in Baby Kate case

Posted at 12:03 PM, Mar 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-30 12:03:35-04

LUDINGTON, Mich. (AP) — The trial of a man accused of killing his infant daughter is clear to move forward after the Michigan Supreme Court declined to get involved in a dispute about the judge.

The court issued an order Wednesday saying it wouldn’t hear an appeal by Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette that sought to replace Judge Peter Wadel.

Katherine Phillips, known as “Baby Kate,” disappeared in 2011 in the Ludington area, about 80 miles northwest of Grand Rapids. Her father, Sean Phillips, is charged with murder. Phillips is serving a 10-year prison sentence for unlawful imprisonment in Kate’s disappearance.

The case originally was dismissed by Wadel, who found insufficient proof Kate was killed. Her body hasn’t been found.

The murder case earlier was upheld.