| Updated: 9/14/2011 10:18 pm |
Published: 9/14/2011 10:17 pm |
HARRISBURG, Ark. (AP) - A judge has ordered a man accused of fatally shooting a police officer in northeast Arkansas to undergo a mental evaluation.
Jerry Lard's next court appearance in Poinsett County has also been postponed. It hadn't been rescheduled as of Wednesday.
Lard is accused of killing Trumann Police Officer Jonathan Schmidt during a traffic stop in April. He has pleaded not guilty to capital murder, attempted capital murder and possession of methamphetamine, along with a firearms charge.
An attorney for Lard declined to comment. Circuit Court Judge Brent Davis has issued a gag order, barring lawyers and others involved in the case from talking about it publicly.
Davis did not return a phone message left Wednesday.
Lard is being held without bond in a nearby county jail.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
