Father charged with throwing baby off bridge pleads not guilty

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — Tony Moreno, accused of throwing his infant son, Aaden, off the Arrigoni Bridge and into the Connecticut River in July, pleaded not guilty to murder charges during a brief hearing Thursday in Superior Court.

Moreno, 21, also waived his right to a probable-cause hearing after a thorough canvass by Judge David P. Gold, who asked Moreno several questions related to whether he understood what it meant to waive his right to the hearing. Moreno responded to the questions and shook his head.

Probable-cause hearings are mandatory in Connecticut for any defendant charged with a crime punishable by life in prison. At such hearings, key witnesses testify and can be cross-examined, and evidence may be entered. Judges rarely rule that probable cause is lacking. Defendants usually waive such hearings.

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