http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/APNewsBreak-Prosecutors-seek-death-in-Ark-trial-2077309.phpWednesday, August 17, 2011
APNewsBreak: Prosecutors seek death in Ark. trial
JEANNIE NUSS, Associated Press
Published 02:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 17, 2011
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a man they say killed an Arkansas police officer during a traffic stop earlier this year.
A court document filed Wednesday in Poinsett County Circuit Court shows that the state is pursuing the death penalty in the capital murder trial of Jerry Lard.
Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington declined comment after a judge issued a temporary gag order Wednesday. Defense attorney Teri Chambers also declined to comment after the judge granted her request for the gag order to limit pretrial publicity.
Lard is charged with capital murder in the April shooting death of Trumann Police Officer Jonathan Schmidt. He's also charged with attempted capital murder and weapons and drug charges.
He's pleaded not guilty and his trial is to start in February.
Other links : 1.
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/165977/2/Jerry-Lards-trial-date-set-for-Feb-13Jerry Lard's trial date set for Feb. 13
8:37 PM, Jul 22, 2011
Written by Amanda Terrebonne
TRUMANN, Ark. (AP) -- A capital murder trial for a man accused of killing a police officer during a traffic stop in northeast Arkansas has been continued to next year.
Circuit Judge Brent Davis on Friday set Jerry Lard's trial date for Feb. 13, 2012.
Lard is charged with capital murder among other offenses after authorities say he shot and killed Trumann police Officer Jonathan Schmidt in April.
Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington hasn't announced whether he'll seek the death penalty in the case.
Lard's lawyers have entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. One of his attorneys, Teri Chambers, declined to comment Friday.
Lard's being held without bond in a Craighead County jail.
2.
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=163971Trumann police officer honored posthumously
7:49 AM, Jul 7, 2011
Written by Ashley Blackstone
TRUMANN, Ark. (AP) -- Two police groups are honoring a Trumann police officer who died in the line of duty in April.
The Jonesboro Sun reports family members of Jonathan Schmidt received plaques Wednesday from the American Police Hall of Fame and the Trumann Police Department during a ceremony in the Trumann District Courtroom.
Trumann Police Chief Tony Rusher says the Florida-based American Police Hall of Fame also will honor Schmidt by etching his name on its law enforcement memorial.
During the ceremony, Rusher read a proclamation from Gov. Mike Beebe honoring Schmidt.
Schmidt died April 12 during a traffic stop. Witnesses say Schmidt pushed his sergeant to safety after a passenger in the car shot Schmidt in the neck. Jerry Lard has been charged in the fatal shooting and has pleaded not guilty.
3.
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=155368Suspect in police officer's death pleads not guilty
11:29 AM, Apr 29, 2011
Written by Ashley Blackstone
HARRISBURG, Ark. (AP) -- A man charged with killing a police officer during a traffic stop in northeast Arkansas has pleaded not guilty to capital murder and several other charges.
Attorneys for Jerry Lard entered the plea on his behalf Friday in a Poinsett County Jail courtroom in Harrisburg. Lard is charged in the shooting death earlier this month of Trumann Officer Jonathan Schmidt after Schmidt stopped a car in which Lard was a passenger.
About a dozen relatives and friends of Schmidt sat silently in court before Lard was returned to the jail. He's due back in court July 22.
Lard is charged with capital murder, attempted capital murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine.
His attorneys didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.
4.
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=154161Jerry Lard accused of killing Trumann police officer in court
2:21 PM, Apr 20, 2011
Written by Ashley Blackstone
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- The man charged with killing a Trumann police officer in a shootout after a traffic stop has been ordered jailed without bond.
Poinsett County Circuit Judge Lee Fergus read the charges against 37-year-old Jerry Lard in court Wednesday and ordered him to remain in custody.
Lard sat silently in a wheelchair as the judge told him he's charged with capital murder, attempted capital murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance. Lard also faces an unrelated rape charge.
Last Tuesday, officer 30-year-old Jonathan Schmidt made a traffic stop and approached the vehicle. Lard was a passenger in the back seat. It happened in front of the Cottonwood Manor Apartments.
Schmidt joined the police force in 2007.
Lard was wounded in the shootout and had been hospitalized until Wednesday's court appearance. He's due back in court April 29.
The Police Benevolent Foundation is also taking donations via text for the "Jonathan Schmidt Memorial Fund." You can help by texting the phrase COPS SCHMIDT to 85944. A $10 donation will be made through your cell phone bill. The PBF is asking everyone to please pass this information along to friends and family. Officer Schmidt's family will need all of us to rally behind them in these hard times.
5.
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=153348(with video)
Trumann Officer Jonathan Schmidt shot, killed during traffic stop
10:16 PM, Apr 13, 2011
Written by Ashley Blackstone
POINSETT CO., (KTHV) -- Police say at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, two Trumann officers made a traffic stop and approached the vehicle. The passenger in the back seat is the alleged shooter.
According to Trumann Police Chief Tony Rusher, 30-year-old Officer Jonathan Schmidt was shot and killed during a traffic stop in front of the Cottonwood Manor Apartments.
Schmidt was taken to the NEA Baptist Hospital and pronounced dead. The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital and is in police custody at this time.
An Arkansas couple says a policeman killed during a late night traffic stop pushed his colleague out of harm's way despite having been shot in the neck.
Keith Elumbaugh says Trumann police stopped his car shortly before midnight Tuesday while he and his girlfriend gave 37-year-old shooting suspect Jerry Lard and Lard's female friend a ride home.
Elumbaugh and girlfriend April Swanner told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he was standing handcuffed outside his car on an unrelated outstanding warrant when Lard opened fire on police from the back seat.
Police say Lard was wounded.
Schmidt joined the police force in 2007.
Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler says the state police sent agents to Trumann at Rusher's request to investigate the shooting.
An account has been established under the Police Benevolent Foundation called the "Jonathan Schmidt Memorial Fund" at Regions Bank. Donations can be made at any Regions Bank so that the public can assist in the efforts to provide financial support to Officer Schmidt's beneficiaries. Donations can also be made through the Police Benevolent Foundation's website at
www.pbfi.org. All donations made to this memorial fund are tax-deductible, and 100% of the funds will go to Officer Jonathan Schmidt's beneficiaries.
The Police Benevolent Foundation is also taking donations via text for the "Jonathan Schmidt Memorial Fund." You can help by texting the phrase COPS SCHMIDT to 85944. A $10 donation will be made through your cell phone bill. The PBF is asking everyone to please pass this information along to friends and family. Officer Schmidt's family will need all of us to rally behind them in these hard times.
Photos : 1. The murderer Jerry Lard
2. The victim Jonathan Schmidt (Police Officer)
Rest in Peace Officer Schmidt
God bless you
Anne
Topic: Prosecutors Seek The Death Penalty Against Jerry Lard in 2011 Murder (Read 453 times)