Jury selection begins Tuesday in the trial of a Clarkston man accused of killing another man two years ago.
66-year-old Melvin O’Rourke faces a charge of second-degree murder in Asotin County Superior Court for the July 2015 shooting death of Duane Hettinger. The two were reportedly drinking together the night of the shooting, and O’Rourke initially told police he fired the shots in self-defense because Hettinger was robbing his house.
O’Rourke was arrested at his apartment after he called 9-1-1 to report the incident. Hettinger was dead when officers arrived.
The trial is expected to last four days.
O’Rourke has been held in the Asotin County Jail for more than two years, as changes in attorneys and competency evaluations have led to delays. (Lewiston Tribune)
