FORDYCE, Ark. — On Friday afternoon, the gunman accused of killing and injuring several people during a mass shooting in June at the Mad Butcher in Fordyce appeared before a judge via Zoom.
44-year-old Travis Posey is being charged with four counts of capital murder and 11 counts of attempted capital murder, all of which Posey previously pleaded not guilty to.
In Friday's hearing the judge set a tentative trial date of February 3, 2025. However, Judge Silverston explained how it's highly unlikely that the trial will officially start that day.
He said that setting the date is more of a formality to keep all moving parts involved on deadline as both attorneys say they're still waiting on the results from the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory.
However, a point that was brought up by Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Rogers is that setting a date keeps Posey from also getting close to the 9-month rule without a trial. This is something that could've led to him being released on something known as "released on own recognizance," or ROR.
That means that a defendant would be released from custody without having to post bail or bond out but by instead signing an agreement where they promise to return for their scheduled court dates.
Prior to the hearing, the courts sent letters to victims and their families notifying them that Posey would be appearing in court via Zoom.
One of those survivors was a man named Silas Compton who said he received the letter but would prefer to show up in person when the trial officially begins.
Compton survived having several serious injuries and faced not walking again, but through a tough recovery process and hard work, he has almost been able to fully recover.
"The doctors said they didn't have much hope for me to be able to walk again so I feel like that's the prayers of the people of why I am up walking I really do," Compton explained.
He also explained that as he continues coping with his new lifestyle, he thinks about what happened on a daily basis.
"This whole community has taken us in. This will always be a before and after place for this community and it's not a big community but a tight nit one," Compton described.
As he continues healing both mentally and physically, he's ready to see justice be served.
"A little frustration really because I would like to see the process move along faster because everyone knows what the guy did. You can forgive a person, but on the other hand, justice should be swift," Compton added.
He shared a message for Posey but emphasized that he is still hoping for justice.
"I hope he gets right with God. God loves him like he does everybody else, but justice has to be served," Compton said.