Trial date is set

ST. CHARLES - The jury trial for Troy Fenton, charged with the Oct. 10, 2001, robbery of the Super D Drug Store in Sikeston, is set for Jan. 7 in a secure courtroom at the St. Charles County Detention Center.

As Fenton has escaped from custody once already since being arrested for the incident, he was determined to be a security risk.

In April, Fenton was arraigned in Scott County on charges of first degree robbery of a pharmacy and first degree assault of a law enforcement officer. The case was transferred to St. Charles County for the trial on a change of venue motion filed by Fenton's attorney, Jacob Zimmerman.

Monday, Fenton appeared before St. Charles County Circuit Judge Nancy L. Schneider who heard several pretrial motions for the Scott County criminal case.

Formerly an assistant prosecutor for Scott County, Mississippi County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gregory Spencer was assigned the case while employed by Scott County and has agreed to continue working the case for the state.

According to Spencer, after the robbery, Fenton allegedly exchanged gunfire with the police at the Mini Farms subdivision off of Highway HH north of Sikeston.

During the exchanges of gunfire, veteran police officer Lt. Mark Crocker of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety was shot in the lower leg.

"Overall, the case is fairly straight forward, but a number of police officers assisted in the arrest of Tory Fenton and are therefore needed to prove the case for Scott County," Spencer said.

Spencer said the state intends on calling approximately 20 witnesses at the trial, including members of at least five law enforcement agencies in addition to the victims from the Super D Pharmacy.

Fenton's lawyer has not yet named any witnesses.

"With the number of witnesses and the detail that will be required to present the state's case, I expect the trial to last approximately three days," Spencer said. "The court personnel and members of the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney's Office have promised to assist the parties in any way possible."

The judge has set aside as least four days for the trial.

If convicted of the charges against him, Fenton will face multiple life sentences in prison.