NORWICH – A man charged with manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend’s 16-month-old son appeared in court Friday where investigators revealed that his criminal history included the attempted murder and rape of a three-year-old step-sibling.

Jason Allen Sherman, 24, of 5223 Piety Hill Road, Cincinnatus, is charged with two counts of first-degree manslaughter and one count of second-degree assault. He was arrested Nov. 10, 2006 in connection to the suspicious death of infant Marshall Lee Barber Jr. in the Town of Pitcher.

Police discovered the unresponsive infant in his crib at 109 Loomis Lane at around 7 a.m. He was transported to Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, but was pronounced dead on arrival by emergency room doctors.

The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide following an autopsy finding the cause of death was from blunt head trauma and asphyxiation. At Friday’s hearing, it was also revealed that the infant had suffered abdominal injuries and had a healed fractured arm. The report also noted unexplained injuries to the infant’s groin area.