Jason Holt Case: Prosecutors will seek death penalty for former Tenn. police officer accused of killing two during robbery
(CBS/AP) RUTLEDGE, Tenn. - Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty if a former police officer accused of killing two people during a drugstore robbery is convicted.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports Grainger County prosecutors made the announcement Tuesday as 37-year-old Jason Bryan Holt was arraigned.
Holt is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, attempted murder, especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault and possession of a gun during a felony.
The charges stem from the May 23 holdup of a Bean Station pharmacy that left owner Stephen Lovell and customer Alexander Sommerville dead. Two other pharmacy employees who were shot survived.
According to CBS affiliate WVLT, Holt took eight bottles of Oxycodone pills before shooting the victims.
Holt had worked as a Bean Station police officer and as a Grainger County deputy. He was placed on medical leave in 2004.
The paper reports Holt was placed in judicial diversion in 2006 after being charged with burglary and theft of narcotics from the Bean Station Police Department.
Holt's next hearing has reportedly been set for December 2nd. He will have a second attorney assigned to him since prosecutors are going for the death penalty.
