Retrial Date in Killing of Myrtle Beach Cop

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) _ The retrial of a man charged with killing a Myrtle Beach police officer is scheduled to start in March, Solicitor Greg Hembree told The Sun News of Myrtle Beach that he will again seek the death penalty against 33-year-old Luzenski Cottrell when his murder trial starts March 26. Authorities say 28-year-old officer Joe McGarry confronted Cottrell outside a Dunkin’ Donuts in December 2002. Authorities say the officer pinned Cottrell against a car as he questioned him. The two struggled and investigators say the suspect shot the officer in the face, Cottrell was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in April 2005, but the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction because the jury was not allowed to consider a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.