LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Authorities in northeastern Arkansas say a man convicted of attempted murder caught a ride home with a juror during a court recess and then fled before sentencing.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that 32-year-old Madriekus Blakes was convicted on Tuesday of two counts of attempted first-degree murder and other charges for a Sept. 27, 2018, shooting at a convenience store in West Memphis, about 122 miles (196 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock.
Prosecutors say Blakes caught a ride home with a juror during a recess but that both Blakes and the juror returned to the courthouse the next day for sentencing. The judge replaced the juror with an alternate.
Jurors recommended 20 years in prison but Blakes fled while jurors deliberated. Officials say he will be sentenced once he is captured.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
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