By David Eck
Enquirer contributor

GEORGETOWN - A Brown County Court judge on Tuesday refused to lower the bond of a veteran Georgetown police officer held in connection with the Nov. 3 death of his 3-month-old daughter.

Officer Randolph Martin, 29, is being held in the Clermont County Jail on $100,000 cash bond. He was arrested Friday on involuntary manslaughter and child endangering charges.

Prosecutors say he lied about why his daughter needed medical treatment Nov. 1, but later confessed to investigators that he shook the baby while home alone with her. His wife was at work.

Emme Magdalyn Martin died two days after being taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. She was buried Saturday.

During Tuesday's brief court hearing, Officer Martin's attorney, Mike Kelly, urged the judge to reduce the officer's bond and insisted his client is not a flight risk.

Officer Martin showed no emotion during the 4 p.m. hearing Tuesday. He was dressed in an orange Clermont County jail jumpsuit and his feet were shackled.

He smiled and nodded to his wife, mother and family friends when he entered the court building. His family declined to talk with a reporter.

He will have a preliminary hearing on Friday.

The incident has upset the Brown County seat of 7,474 about 45 miles east of Cincinnati.

"Everyone has been touched one way or another,'' Georgetown Mayor John Jandes said Tuesday. "We're both grieving for the police department and the family right at this moment. We've never been through something like this before.''

Officer Martin has been on the Georgetown Police Department for just over seven years.

The patrol officer has never been disciplined and has a good working relationship with colleagues, Georgetown Police Chief Terry Newberry said.

"He was a good worker when he was here,'' the chief said. The officer was suspended without pay after his arrest on Friday, the chief said.

"It is our policy that we suspend when charges are filed,'' Chief Newberry said. "We're just trying to manage with the officers we have to fill his shifts.''

Including the chief, the department has 10 full-time and eight part-time officers.

Counselors have been made available for officers.

"We've had a couple of meetings since this all took place,'' the chief said.

"Right now, the (officers), they're dealing with it in their own way. I think it's affected all of us.''

E-mail daveck@fuse.net