Man accused in Paducah hotel murder refuses to appear in court

The man accused in the murder of a Paducah hotel employee in February refused to leave his cell on Wednesday to appear in court.

A pretrial conference was scheduled for 55-year-old Robert Pannell of Palm Coast, Florida. The conference was to be the next step toward setting a trial date, but Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney James Mills told West Kentucky Star that Pannell's refusal to appear took the case off the docket and wasn't even called before the court.

Mills said that the conference would be rescheduled.   

Police said Pannell assaulted a couple in the Best Western parking lot after they reportedly would not give him a cigarette lighter.

He allegedly went inside the hotel, walked down a hallway, shot a female victim, and continued to fire multiple rounds with several people nearby.

Pannell is lodged in the McCracken County Regional Jail, on charges including first-degree murder, assault, four counts of wanton endangerment  and resisting arrest.