Idaho Falls Man Enters Not Guilty Plea in Roadside Beating Death

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho Falls man charged with voluntary manslaughter in connection with the beating death of another man has pleaded not guilty. The Post-Register reports 22-year-old Tanner Cox appeared in a Bonneville County courtroom and entered his plea Thursday. Cox has been in custody following a May 18 arrest tied to the death of 36-year-old Josh Olzak. The two men got into an altercation May 9. Cox punched Olzak, knocking him to the ground and fracturing his skull.

Olzak died days later.  Cox had been with up to eight other people at the time of the incident while Olzak had been with one friend. Cox's defense attorney says he might consider a self-defense strategy if the case goes to trial. A jury trial has been scheduled for Sept. 14.