A Missouri state trooper charged in the death of an Iowa man who drowned while in his custody is scheduled for trial this summer.
Anthony Piercy faces a jury trial July 1 in Morgan County for involuntary manslaughter in the 2014 drowning death of Iowa resident Brandon Ellingson at Lake of the Ozarks.
Judge Roger Martin Prokes set the trial day on Monday, and it was decided in a case management conference that motions to limit/prevent certain evidence should be filed the same date. Prokes also sustained a motion to strike two defense attorneys as witnesses in the case.
Prokes, presiding circuit judge for the 4th Circuit Court, was assigned to Piercy's case earlier this month after Judge Stan Moore recused himself and the case was sent to the Missouri Supreme Court for assignment. Moore was the third judge to recuse himself in Piercy's case.
Piercy was charged in December 2015 with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the May 31, 2014, drowning of Ellingson for allegedly recklessly causing Ellingson's death by handcuffing him behind his back while intoxicated and not properly securing his flotation device, which subsequently caused his death when he fell into the water.
Last week, the state of Missouri agreed to pay $9 million to settle the civil lawsuit field in federal court against the Missouri Highway Patrol, Piercy and several other defendants on Dec. 5, 2014, according to the Whitfield & Eddy Law firm.
"The Ellingsons wish to express their deep and sincere appreciation to the tens of thousands of people in Iowa, Missouri, Arizona and across the country who have supported them during this very difficult time," the news release said, later adding, "The family established a memorial at Valley Stadium and supported a scholarship at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, to make certain that Brandon will never be forgotten."