Soldier charged with murder could go to trial in February

A Fort Drum soldier, Jeffrey A. Sliker, 23, charged with murder in the death of a 4-month-old girl in Watertown, may go on trial in February in Jefferson County Court.

After a conference on the case Friday, Judge Kim H. Martusewicz set a pretrial date of Feb. 7 to further discuss the proceedings. If there is no resolution to the case that day, Judge Martusewicz said it could go to trial the last week of February. Sliker, who is represented by the public defender’s office, did not appear in court.

He is charged with second-degree murder, first- and second-degree manslaughter, reckless assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child. It is alleged he caused the death of Laurne E. Clark, also known as Mollie E. Sliker, by repeatedly hitting the child’s head against a hard surface at 112 W. Lynde St. on March 24. The child died due to blunt-force trauma.

Sliker, a private first class, served two tours in Afghanistan and holds the Purple Heart for an unspecified battle injury.