WATERLOO - A Waterloo man charged in the death of his infant son is asking the court to move his trial out of Black Hawk County.

Antwuan Demon Williams Sr., 23, had been scheduled to go before a jury on a first-degree murder charge Dec. 9.

But on Wednesday, he was in court to waive his right to have a trial within a year of being charged.

Public defenders Matthew Hoffey and Aaron Hawkbaker also filed a change-of-venue motion to transfer the trial.

They said extensive pretrial publicity surrounding the case will make it difficult for Williams to get a fair trial in Black Hawk County.

Prosecutors are challenging request, and a sample jury will be brought in in December or January to gauge local knowledge of the case.

The trial likely will begin May 18.

Black Hawk County Attorney Tom Ferguson said he plans to call an opthalmologist, neuropathologist and pediatric radiologist as expert witnesses.

Williams Sr. is accused of killing his 8-month old son, Antwuan Jr.

The parents were the subject of an earlier Iowa Department of Human Services investigation pertaining to injuries received by Antwuan Jr.'s older sister.

Then in February, Antwuan Jr. was found unresponsive at the family's Broadway Street home.

The child later died, and doctors found "multiple fractures, bruises and/or bite marks," court records state.

After the death, the older sister and Antwuan Jr.'s twin sister were removed from the home, and the parental rights were terminated by a judge earlier this year.

Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.