New special prosecutor will be appointed in Columbia officer’s manslaughter case
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Attorneys agreed in a court hearing Friday morning that a new special prosecutor will be appointed in a Columbia police officer's manslaughter case.
Andria Heese is accused of killing 4-year-old Gabriella Curry in early 2019 after her police cruiser hit the child on a sidewalk outside of Battle High School.
The defense and prosecution decided the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services will pick the new special prosecutor and Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris will have the final say in approval.
The previous special prosecutor, Heather Miller, was recently governor-appointed as a new associate circuit judge in the 26th Circuit. Harris said during the hearing there is no time limit on appointing the next special prosecutor.
Court records say the next hearing in Heese' case is scheduled for March 22.
Heese has pleaded not guilty to a felony count of involuntary manslaughter. According to the crash report, Heese was positioning her vehicle on the sidewalk to watch students leaving school for the day when Curry was hit.
The officer's attorneys tried unsuccessfully to have the criminal charge dropped. On July 17, 2020, Boone County Judge Kim Shaw ordered the case would continue.
Columbia's insurer paid the Curry family $3.4 million in May 2020 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit. The family also received $125,000 from Columbia Public Schools.
