Holly to argue he had bad lawyers

Killer, 34, sentenced to death for 2012 murder of 6-year-old girl

BENTONVILLE — A judge scheduled a hearing for July to determine whether a man on death row received ineffective legal representation at his trial for raping and killing a 6-year-old girl.

Zachary Holly, 34, was convicted in 2015 of capital murder, kidnapping, rape and residential burglary. He was sentenced to death, two life terms and 20 years.

A jury found Holly guilty of killing Jersey Bridgeman, who lived next door. Holly sometimes baby-sat Jersey and her younger sister, according to court documents.

Holly is fighting to have his conviction and sentences vacated. He filed a Rule 37 petition, which is a claim that he received ineffective assistance from his attorneys.

Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren held a short hearing Wednesday. The hearing was conducted by video with Holly at the prison in Varner and Michael Kaiser, his attorney, in Little Rock.

Holly claims his attorneys didn’t seek to exclude some evidence, conducted an ineffective jury selection, and failed to investigate and present evidence related to his mental health issues.

Kaiser told the judge he expects to have Holly’s final petition filed by the end of February.

Stuart Cearley, Benton County’s chief deputy prosecutor, requested 30 to 40 days to file a response to the final petition.

The judge scheduled the hearing for July 29.

Jersey’s nude body was found Nov. 20, 2012, in the bedroom closet of an abandoned house next to Holly’s home on Southeast A Street in Bentonville. She had been strangled to death with her pajama pants.

Holly later confessed to killing the child, and a recording of the confession was played for jurors. Prosecutors presented DNA evidence connecting Holly to the crime.

Holly