A judge denied a bond reduction Wednesday for a Lawrence man charged with killing a 3-year-old girl in a child-abuse case.

During a brief hearing in Douglas County District Court, a defense attorney asked Judge Michael Malone to reduced Jason W. Dillon’s bond from $150,000 to $50,000, based in part on Dillon’s lack of a criminal record. Dist. Atty. Charles Branson opposed the request, saying the evidence against Dillon was strong and that there was a chance Dillon would flee if he made bond.

Malone found the bond was “not excessive or high, given the seriousness of the charge and the state’s claim of the strength of the case.”

Dillon, 22, is charged with first-degree murder in the June 18 death of his girlfriend’s daughter, Sydni C. Perkins. He wore a red jail jumpsuit and stood with his head bowed throughout his court appearance.

Dillon’s attorney, Mark Manna, said he had received 30 pages of police reports but that he expected to get “several hundred” more.

Malone scheduled Dillon’s preliminary hearing for Aug. 10. It’s expected to last a half-day.

Branson said that despite a judge’s order not to contact any of the witnesses in the case, it appeared Dillon had tried to contact the girl’s mother from jail by calling her collect and by sending mail. Manna said his client might not have fully understood the order not to contact witnesses.

“He is aware now of what the no-contact order is,” Manna said.

Dillon is charged with killing Sydni by shaking her, striking her in the head and knocking her to the ground at his apartment in the 1100 block of George Court. He was supposed to be taking care of the girl all day while her mother was at work.

Dillon told a judge last week that he lived at a group home for boys for 4 1/2 years while he was growing up. He was a 2001 graduate of Lawrence High School and was on the school’s track and football teams.