A jury trial has been continued for a Keithsburg man charged with solicitation of murder for hire. Jury selection was set to begin Monday, but the attorney for 48-year-old Kevin Hockenberry requested the continuance. A status hearing is scheduled for Friday with the jury trial continued to next Wednesday. Hockenberry is accused of trying to pay someone $10,000 to kill former Mercer County State’s Attorney Meeghan Lee.
Hockenberry has been in custody at the Mercer County Jail awaiting trial on a Class 3 felony of sexual relations within families. That charge is in connection with an alleged incident that occurred in April of 2019. He is also facing felony charges in two other cases including perjury and false reporting as well as two misdemeanor counts of violating an order of protection.
Bond on the solicitation of murder for hire charge is set at $500,000.