Covid further delays jury trials

BENTONVILLE — Benton County’s circuit judges have decided not to hold jury trials in the county for about two more weeks because of covid-19.

Judge Tom Smith, administrative judge for the county’s seven circuit judges, signed an order Monday suspending jury trials until Feb. 24.

The judges agreed last month to suspend trials until Feb. 7 but decided to continue with the suspension.

Smith said while covid cases have started to decrease, they are still high in the state and in Benton County. The judges decided to play it safe for the sake of jurors, lawyers and witnesses, he said.

All other court business — including bench trials — is ongoing, Smith said.

This means Zachary Harlan’s trial won’t begin Monday as planned. Harlan, 37, is charged with capital murder, aggravated residential burglary and theft of property. He has pleaded not guilty.

Harlan is accused of killing Steven March. Police officers found March’s body on May 14, 2018, at his Moulton Lane home in Springdale. Harlan is being held without bail in the Benton County Jail.

Prosecutors waived the death penalty, which means Harlan would be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if he’s convicted of the capital murder charge.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green rescheduled Harlan’s jury trial to begin Oct. 24. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Oct. 17.

Christopher Nebben, one of Harlan’s attorneys, estimated it will take a week to try the case.

This is the third time Harlan’s trial has been postponed for reasons related to covid-19.