One of three men allegedly involved in the beating of a Nickerson man was scheduled for court Monday afternoon in front of Judge Tim Chambers, but again a last minute continuance means the motion to suppress hearing in the case against Zachary Lawson will be heard at a later date. Even the jail was not aware of the continuance. They brought the defendant to court, only to have to take him back.

We did learn of a date for the trial though which is now scheduled to begin on July 2.

Lawson had been offered a plea in the case but declined the offer and it doesn’t appear the state will make an offer to him again. He’s charged with aggravated kidnapping, attempted aggravated robbery, aggravated battery, criminal threat, possession of drugs, possession of meth and marijuana. He also faces charges by the feds for a case in Arkansas.

Meanwhile, we await the sentencing for co-defendant Jeremia Palmer who entered a plea agreement with the state. We are waiting the results of a mental exam for Palmer before he will be sentenced.

The case against Lawson, Palmer and Jedrik Smith centers on 28-year-old Larry McVey reporting that he had been kidnapped, beaten and robbed by the three men back on September 8, 2011.

Smith was sentenced to 196-months for two cases against him including the kidnapping case.