Kirk Lane, whose reputation as a police officer has been clouded by accusations that he was involved in the murders of Kevin Ives and Don Henry, the subjects of my book, The Boys on the Tracks, has been appointed the new chief of police for the city of Benton, 26 miles south of Little Rock. Lane has steadfastly denied the allegations leveled by Linda Ives, the mother of one of the boys. Last night, the Benton City Council split 5-5 on a vote to override the appointment of Lane by the city’s mayor. A two-thirds majority was needed to remove Lane from the office. See the report by KTHV for more about the objections raised by Benton residents, as well as Lane’s response that he too is a victim of the long-unsolved murders because of the taint on his career. Since 1999, Lane has worked as a captain with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office Investigation and Narcotics Division.
