BECKLEY. W.Va. — A Beckley man charged with killing a 7-year-old boy in March 2021 will go on trial next week.
Prosecutors and attorneys for Rashad “Rico” Thompson argued several pretrial motions during a hearing Monday in Raleigh County Circuit Court.
Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick denied a few defense motions in connection with evidence. He also refused to further postpone the trial which has already been delayed three times.
Jury selection is set for next Monday with opening statements scheduled for next Tuesday.
Thompson allegedly killed Tre-shaun Brown and critically injured his mother, Felicia Brown.
Thompson had originally agreed earlier this year to plead guilty to first-degree murder in a plea bargain with prosecutors but he backed out at the last minute.
“That plea has been refused and that plea is no longer available, so that’s the reason for the trial,” Raleigh County Prosecutor Ben Hatfield said Monday. “We’re headed toward an adjudication on the facts and let the jury decide what they view the facts to be.”
WJLS Reporter Keith Thompson contributed to this story.