Plea is innocent in death of pregnant girlfriend, 22

FORT SMITH -- A Fort Smith man charged with two counts of capital murder in the death of his pregnant girlfriend pleaded innocent to the charges Wednesday in Sebastian County Circuit Court.

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According to court records, Circuit Judge James Cox appointed the public defender to represent Douglas True, 21. Cox informed True he was not eligible for bail because he faces capital-murder charges.

Prosecuting Attorney Dan Shue sent out a news release Monday stating he will consider whether to seek the death penalty. In the release, Shue stated he would consider such things as the evidence in the case, the potential impact on victims, and aggravating and mitigating circumstances.

The release did not say when he would make the decision.

A conviction of capital murder carries a penalty of death or life in prison without parole.

True is accused of killing 22-year-old Briana Butler on July 20 during an argument. True told police he was intoxicated and did not remember what happened after the fight started.

True called police to the south Fort Smith home he shared with Butler about noon July 20. Inside, investigators found Butler dead in the bathroom. A police probable-cause affidavit stated that Butler had bruising on her arms and face and lacerations on her throat and torso consistent with knife wounds. A knife believed to be used in the killing was recovered at the home.

According to the affidavit, True told detectives he got up in the middle of the night, found Butler's body in the bathroom and went back to the couch and passed out.

Before making the call to police, the affidavit stated, True said he went to a Lowe's store to buy a tool to cut a cast off his arm, then called his mother and told her he had done something bad and that he would never get out of prison.

Butler's 2-year-old daughter was asleep in another room in the home at the time of the slaying but was not hurt. She was taken into Arkansas Department of Human Services' custody.

Plea ...

Metro on 08/01/2014

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