NATCHEZ — A trial for the August 2009 murder of Clark Felton Jr. was scheduled for today, but it has been continued until March to make way for a civil malpractice trial.

Lizzie Ann Madison, one of the two defendants in Felton’s murder, will now be tried in Adams County circuit court during Judge Forest “Al” Johnson’s March term.

The trial for Paul McBeth Green, the other defendant in Felton’s murder and Madison’s boyfriend at the time of the murder, will also so be set in March.

Felton, a 61-year-old cancer patient, was found beaten to death with his cane at his residence at 87 LaGrange Road on Aug. 12, 2009.

The trials for Madison and Green were originally set for August and reset for today, before they were continued again to March.

Madison and Green, who were a couple at the time of the murder, were originally to be tried as co-defendants, but their lawyers severed the case and both are scheduled to be tried separately.

Madison’s lawyer, Anthony Heidelberg, has issued subpoenas for the trial, which include several Adams County Sheriff’s Office investigators, forensic pathologist Amy Gruszecki, and former co-defendant Green.

The malpractice case being tried today involving plaintiff Johnny Mack Ford and defendant Dr. John Henry “Rusty” Fairbanks could last up to four days, District Attorney Ronnie Harper said.

Harper said the malpractice trial would likely affect a few more court dates on Johnson’s heavily filled November docket.

Other court updates include:

4 The trial for Lakendrick Allen, who was charged with the February beating of an elderly couple in the victims’ home, was set for Nov. 23, but it has been continued until March 22.

Allen, along with Deon D. Woods, were both indicted for aggravated assault and armed robbery.

Woods trial is set for Nov. 16

4Sammy Lee Rice pleaded guilty last week to counts I and II of the three counts of “carnal knowledge of a stepchild” for which he was indicted, according to court documents.

Johnson sentenced Rice to serve 20 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with 10 years for each count to be served back-to-back.

Rice must also pay court fees and pay $3.128.60 in restitution for jumping his bond.