IZARD COUNTY, Arkansas — Convicted murderer and rapist Grant Hardin, who escaped an Arkansas prison in May, will now not see a jury until 2026.

Hardin escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25. He was captured around two weeks later just a mile and a half from the prison, and has been charged with one count of escape, to which he has pleaded not guilty .

Court documents filed on Oct. 14 said all of Hardin's planned court appearances would be pushed back. A hearing has been rescheduled from Oct. 21 to Dec. 11, while his jury trial will now be on Feb. 18 after it was originally scheduled for Nov. 5.

Hardin's escape has since been a source of scrutiny to the North Central Unit and the state's prison system.

A Department of Corrections critical incident report on

See Full Page