A Belvue man apparently had second thoughts as what was listed as a plea on the Pottawatomie County Court Docket ended up being a request for a jury trial in a first degree murder case.
Judge Jeff Elder asked defendant Christopher Arand’s attorney, Richard Lake, the status of the case from his client’s perspective. Lake indicated his client did not fully comprehend or understand the effect of the hard 50, saying it had come as a shock to him and he now was requesting a jury trial.
Judge Elder set the week of October fifth for the trial, with a September 17th final pre-trial hearing, and pre-trial motions due by July 24th.
Arand was arrested last November in connection with the murder of his Uncle Larry Arand. An affidavit released at the time indicated Arand hit his uncle in the back of the head several times with brass knuckles before suffocating him with a plastic bag.
