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Missouri trooper’s trial set in handcuffed man’s death

Brandon Ellingson  (Photo courtesy Missourinet)
Brandon Ellingson (Photo courtesy Missourinet)

VERSAILLES, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri state trooper charged in the death of an Iowa man who drowned while in his custody is scheduled for trial this summer.

A July 10 trial was set Monday for Trooper Anthony Piercy. He is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Brandon Ellingson at the Lake of the Ozarks in May 2014. The trial will be in Morgan County.

The new trial date comes one week after the state of Missouri agreed to pay $9 million to Ellingson’s family. Piercy had pulled over the 20-year-old Ellingson on suspicion of boating while intoxicated. At some point, Ellingson fell into the lake while wearing handcuffs and an improperly secured life vest.

Piercy jumped into the lake but couldn’t save Ellingson.

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