Man accepts, then rejects, plea deal in connection with 2021 death of baby

A man indicted on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of an infant accepted a plea agreement sentencing him to a lesser charge of manslaughter, but then rejected the deal.

As a result, 9th Judicial District Court Judge Greg Beard ordered that Charles O. Sneed III's trial date of July 25 remain unchanged. Sneed would have been sentenced to 40 years in prison under the agreement.

Rapides Parish Assistant District Attorney Christopher Bowman said on Wednesday afternoon the state intends to proceed to trial.

Sneed is represented by Chad Guillot.

Police:Man arrested in death of infant

Charles O. Sneed III:Pineville man indicted in death of infant

Wednesday had been set as a plea date for Sneed, who was arrested by the Alexandria Police Department in May 2021 after an unresponsive 7-month-old baby was brought to a hospital emergency room.

Sneed, a Pineville resident, was arrested on a first-degree murder charge. He was indicted in August 2021 on the same charge and remains in the Rapides Parish Detention Center #1 on a $1 million bail.