Man accused of killing Indiana cop hears charge in hospital

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — A man accused of killing an Indiana police officer heard the charge Friday from a hospital bed where he is recovering from a shootout outside an FBI office.

Shane Meehan “was not fully capable to participate in the hearing due to his physical discomfort and the administration of pain medication,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig McKee said in a court filing.

Meehan, 44, will remain under the watch of federal marshals.

He is charged with killing Terre Haute police Detective Greg Ferency, who was a member of a federal task force, which typically involves local officers.

Ferency was attacked Wednesday outside an FBI office in Terre Haute, according to federal authorities. He and an FBI agent responded by firing shots fired at Meehan.

Meehan threw a Molotov cocktail, a crude bomb made with a bottle, at the office before the ambush, authorities said.

A motive has not been publicly disclosed.

McKee wants a status report each Friday about Meehan’s condition and readiness for court hearings.

Meehan, who formerly worked at a federal prison, received less than 1% of the vote when he ran for Terre Haute mayor in 2019.