Grandfather who dropped toddler from cruise ship asks judge for trial

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

The grandfather who dropped a toddler from an open window aboard a cruise ship asked a judge for a bench trial, not to be tried by a jury.

Salvatore "Sam" Anello made the request Monday in San Juan, the Daily Mail reported.

The four-day trial is expected to start April 2.

Chloe Wiegand fell 11 floors from an open window aboard the Freedom of the Seas Royal Caribbean cruise ship last July when Anello was watching her.

He has been charged with negligent homicide, but said he thought there was glass in the windowpane. Anello said if there had been a warning sign, he would not have been near it.

The family filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean for negligence in December.

If convicted of negligent homicide, Anello faces up to three years in prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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