A judge on Tuesday delayed the trial for an eight-time absconder charged with killing a Little Rock teenager.
Darrell Dennis, who faces charges including capital murder, kidnapping and aggravated robbery in the May 10 death of 18-year-old Forrest Abrams, was arrested less than 30 hours after his release from the Pulaski County jail. He had been held there on an absconder warrant.
A June 17 article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette revealed the lengthy parole-violation history of Dennis before his arrest, sparking a systemwide review of the state parole system that in turn led to a change in leadership and numerous policy shifts.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza last month granted Dennis' request for a new attorney. The Public Defender Commission subsequently hired attorney Bill James to represent Dennis.
On Tuesday, James told Piazza he was almost done the preliminary work on the case file but that the defense would not be ready for Dennis' previously scheduled Feb. 3 trial.
Piazza then set an April 30 trial date. A pretrial hearing is set for March 11.
Dennis didn't speak during the brief appearance.