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Murder trial in officer's 1980 killing moved to this summer

Lake County Sheriff's Department

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) — A man's murder trial in the 1980 shooting death of an off-duty northwestern Indiana police officer has been moved to this summer.

A Lake County judge on Wednesday rescheduled 68-year-old Pierre Catlett's trial from Feb. 11 to June 24.

The Post-Tribune reports Catlett's attorney sought the delay, citing the "voluminous" amount of discovery in the case.

Catlett is charged in 33-year-old Lawrence Pucalik's November 1980 slaying. The Hammond police officer was shot during the armed robbery of a Hammond hotel where he was working as a security guard.

Prosecutors say Catlett and another man entered the hotel with guns, while 55-year-old James Hill waited in the getaway car.

Hill was sentenced to 47 years in prison in October after being convicted of murder in perpetuation of robbery and attempted robbery.