Special Prosecutor Assigned in Petty Misconduct Case

A special prosecutor is assigned to the misconduct trial of Pike County Sheriff and Coroner Paul Petty. The Illinois Office of the State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor says Ed Parkinson of Morgan County now will oversee the case. Petty is accused of failing to tell the mortuary and other involved parties not to embalm the body of Shanda Lopez before toxicology samples were taken.

Lopez died in September 2012 as a result of an apparent drug-induced homicide.

A status hearing in the case against Sheriff Petty is set for Friday.