LITTLE ROCK — A trial date has been set for next January for the suspect in the Christmas Eve killing of a Salvation Army officer.
Laquan Javaris Fitzpatrick, 19, appeared before Pulaski County Circuit Judge Barry Sims Tuesday afternoon to be arraigned for the capital murder case as well as an unrelated aggravated robbery case.
Sims set the capital murder case to begin Jan. 24, 2011 and the robbery case for May 3, 2011.
Fitzpatrick, clad in blue jail garb and with his hands shackled to his waist, didn't speak during the brief hearing. He also didn't respond when a reporter questioned him about the case as he entered the courtroom.
A not guilty plea was also entered during the hearing and Fitzpatrick was appointed two public defenders as his attorneys.
Police say Fitzpatrick and Brandon Leavy attempted to rob and then gunned down Maj. Philip Wise in front of Wise's three children outside the Salvation Army community center in North Little Rock. He has been held without bail since being arrested March 16 in Helena-West Helena.
Leavy was fatally shot by a security guard during a purported robbery attempt at Dodge's Chicken convenience store in North Little Rock two weeks after Wise was killed.