Trial Of Man Accused Of Killing Boy In Northern NY Starts

CANTON, N.Y. (AP) — A former college soccer coach goes on trial this week after being accused of entering his former girlfriend's apartment in northern New York and strangling her 12-year-old son on the afternoon of Oct. 24, 2011.

Oral "Nick" Hillary's trial starts Tuesday. Some in the northern New York village of Potsdam see it as a chance to finally bring a measure of justice to the family of Garrett Phillips.

But critics see a largely white community railroading a black man. They point to a dismissed indictment, a no-confidence vote by county officials against the district attorney and an apparent lack of physical evidence tying Hillary to the apartment.

Hillary has maintained his innocence.

The trial may result in a verdict, but will likely do little to quell the five-year controversy.

[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]