PARAGOULD, Ark. (AP) - Jury selection is set to begin in the capital murder trial for a man charged in the shooting death of a Trumann police officer.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Jerry Lard, who's charged in the April 2011 fatal shooting of Jonathan Schmidt. Authorities say Schmidt pulled over Lard after a license plate check raised questions about his car insurance.
Lard also faces a charge of attempted capital murder for shooting at another officer during the traffic stop.
Lard's trial begins Monday in Paragould after his attorneys requested a change of venue.
Lawyers for Lard say in court filings that they plan to argue he has a mental disease or defect. His attorneys and prosecutors declined to comment before the trial because a gag order is in place.
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