BENTON, Ill. — A southern Illinois sheriff’s federal trial on charges that he trafficked marijuana while on duty now won’t be until at least this spring because he now faces state murder-for-hire charges.
BENTON, Ill. — A southern Illinois sheriff’s federal trial on charges that he trafficked marijuana while on duty now won’t be until at least this spring because he now faces state murder-for-hire charges. Jackson County prosecutors have accused Gallatin (GAL’-uht’n) County Sheriff Raymond Martin, his wife and his son of scheming to have someone killed while the law enforcer was still jailed on the federal charges. The plot failed. The sheriff’s federal trial was to be next month. But his public defender in that case successfully asked Thursday for that trial to be pushed back to April 12, saying the new charges now require more time to prepare for Martin’s defense in the federal case. A preliminary hearing for the Martins on the alleged murder-for-hire scheme is scheduled for Tuesday in Murphysboro. Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.