RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) — A judge has set a 2024 trial date for a man charged in the killing of an eastern Indiana police officer who was shot during a traffic stop last year.
Phillip Matthew Lee, 48, whose trial is set to start in Wayne County on Feb. 10, 2024, could face the death penalty if he’s convicted in the death of Richmond Police Department Officer Seara Burton.
Burton was shot in the head on Aug. 10, 2022, after officers stopped Lee’s moped and Burton was called to assist with her police dog, which indicated the possible presence of narcotics. The officer died Sept. 18, more than two weeks after being taken off life support.
Lee, of Richmond, is charged with murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and drug-related charges.
Attorneys have told the judge the trial could take four to five weeks in Richmond, a city located about 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of Indianapolis, the ( Richmond) Palladium-Item reported.
Lee’s lead defense attorney, Denise Turner, recently filed a motion seeking access to all Richmond Police Department text messages, emails and voicemail recordings which mention her client since the shooting.
