Suspect in Ark. officer's death pleads not guilty
HARRISBURG, Ark. (AP) — A man charged with killing a police officer during a traffic stop in northeast Arkansas pleaded not guilty Friday to capital murder and several other charges.
About a dozen relatives and friends of the late Trumann Officer Jonathan Schmidt sat silently in a Poinsett County Jail courtroom as attorneys for Jerry Lard entered the plea on his behalf.
Lard was charged with capital murder, attempted capital murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine after he allegedly shot and killed Schmidt earlier this month.
Lard, who was hospitalized following the clash with Schmidt and another officer stood near his attorneys, Teri Chambers and Jackie Wright, before he was taken back into custody. His attorneys didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.
Scott Ellington, the district prosecutor in charge of the case, said he has not decided whether to seek the death penalty, but added that he hasn't ruled it out.
Investigators said Schmidt pulled over a car in which Lard was a passenger on April 12 after he ran a license plate check that showed the car might not have insurance. Another officer, Sgt. Corey Overstreet arrived, a few minutes later.
Schmidt approached the rear passenger door where Lard was sitting after he learned that there was a warrant out for his arrest. As Schmidt opened the door, Lard got out of the car and shot Schmidt and wounded him in the face, according to the police affidavit. Schmidt backed up and Lard turned and started firing at Overstreet, but did not injure him.
The driver, Keith Elumbaugh, and another witness in the car told The Associated Press that while wounded, Schmidt managed to shove his sergeant to safety.
At some point, Schmidt slumped near the right front fender of his patrol car, where he was later found with multiple gunshot wounds, according to the affidavit. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital sometime after midnight.
Lard was wounded in the shootout and had been hospitalized under police guard until last week, when a judge ordered him to be jailed without bond. He's due back in court July 22.
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