LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Tuesday, a former police chief infamous for his moniker “Devil in the Ozarks” faced charges related to his recent escape from an Arkansas prison. He entered a plea of not guilty.
Grant Hardin, who has been convicted of murder, appeared via video at the hearing. During the session, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree escape. The authorities determined that Hardin was indigent, and he has since been assigned a public defender.
He was recaptured on June 6, approximately 1.5 miles northwest of the Calico Rock prison from which he fled on May 25. Officials reported that he facilitated his escape by wearing an outfit that mimicked a law enforcement uniform.
Following his recapture, Hardin was relocated to a maximum-security facility in Varner, situated about 65 miles southeast of Little Rock.
A jury trial is set to commence the week of November 5, with a pretrial hearing planned for October 21.
Hardin, once the police chief of Gateway, a small town near the Arkansas-Missouri border, is currently serving long sentences for both murder and rape. His story has been featured in a television documentary titled “Devil in the Ozarks.”
An investigation into Hardin’s escape is ongoing, according to a spokesperson. Additionally, legislators have expressed plans to conduct a review of the circumstances surrounding the escape.