Trial for Sevier County man rescheduled to August

Submitted by Patrick Massey of KDQN.net

DE QUEEN – A jury trial has been rescheduled to later this summer for a Sevier County man accused of wounding a De Queen police officer and leading law enforcement through a multi-county pursuit during an incident last year..

According to court records, 37-year-old Kenneth Lee Smith was scheduled to appear before the Sevier County Circuit Court for a jury trial on June 6. Smith, who has pleaded not guilty, is facing a range of multiple felony charges from an incident in July of 2023.

Last week, the court granted a motion to continue requested by Smith’s attorney, Eric A. Marks. Marks was previously scheduled to prosecute a murder trial in Cleveland County later this month.

Smith is now scheduled to reappear before the Sevier County Circuit Court for a pre-trial hearing on Aug. 1. If he maintains his plea of not guilty, Smith is currently scheduled for a jury trial on Aug. 21

Charges filed against Smith include aggravated residential burglary, first-degree battery and four counts of attempted murder for the initial incident on July 7 within a home on 113 Sweet Home Lane near De Queen. He’s also charged with attempted capital murder for the shooting of DQPD Lt. Chad Bradshaw during the subsequent pursuit.

Upon a conviction, the range of offenses could see Smith serving up to 40 years or life imprisonment.

Smith remains in the Sevier County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.