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IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
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 Thu Mar 25, 2004 8:17 pm Man Accused of killing 9 pleads "Not Gulty" |
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| Quote: | Fresno shooting suspect pleads not guilty
Thursday, March 25, 2004 Posted: 6:23 PM EST (2323 GMT)
Marcus Wesson sits in court during an earlier attempt to arraign him.
(CNN) -- The man charged with killing nine of his own family members pleaded not guilty to murder charges Thursday in a Fresno, California, court.
Marcus Wesson, 57, was arrested March 12 after police found the bodies stacked in a back bedroom in his home.
He's been charged with nine counts of first-degree murder and special circumstances, which makes the case eligible for the death penalty.
However, Fresno County District Attorney Elizabeth Egan said her office has not yet decided if it will seek the death penalty.
In Thursday's arraignment, Judge Brant Bramer told Wesson that an investigation revealed that he didn't have enough money to hire the lawyer he had chosen, David Mugridge. Bramer then appointed public defender Peter Jones to take the case.
Two previous attempts to arraign Wesson had to be postponed when he refused to accept a public defender.
"Our office will conduct a vigorous investigation and an aggressive defense on behalf of Mr. Wesson," Jones told reporters after the proceeding.
Police responded to reports of domestic disturbance on March 12 at Wesson's house.
They evacuated several people in the home, but, when told that Wesson may be armed, officers called in the SWAT team and waited for negotiators to arrive.
More than an hour later, Wesson emerged from the home, covered in blood. Inside, police found the bodies of a 24-year-old woman; five girls, ages 17, 8, 7 and two 1-year-olds; and three boys, ages 7, 4, and 1. The victims included at least two children police say the suspect fathered with one or two of his daughters.
Wesson remains jailed without bail. The judge set a motions hearing for March 20 and the preliminary hearing for April 7.
Last week, Fresno's police chief defended his officers' decision to wait more than an hour before entering Wesson's house.
Chief Jerry Dyer said the officers had no legal authority to go inside until Wesson walked outside with blood on his clothes.
Dyer said all police knew at the time was that Wesson was locked in a bedroom -- possibly with a gun -- along with several children. "The officers on scene did not hear gunshots and officers had no reason to believe that the children were about to be injured or killed," Dyer said.
The bodies were piled atop one another and clothing was intertwined among them. Twelve empty coffins were stacked in a front room.
Dyer said it is still undetermined when the victims were killed. "It may have been the individuals were killed prior to the officers arriving," he said. "It could be that the individuals were killed after the officers arrived and it could be a combination thereof."
CNN's Miguel Marquez contributed to this report.
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Sick.
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syd2002
Admiral
Joined: 25 Mar 2002
Posts: 8919
Location: Somewere in the world, makeing a difference
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| Sat Mar 27, 2004 7:04 pm |
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I read this in my local paper a while back, I agree this is very sick.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Sat Mar 27, 2004 9:27 pm |
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This IS wrong, and i've thought that since FOX NEWS told me about it.
Horrific!
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Monkey
Captain
Joined: 05 Feb 2004
Posts: 833
Location: On a quest you probably wouldn't believe.
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| Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:59 am |
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so what 36,000 children die every day to starvation
Prove your existence. Vivi dd.
-------signature-------
"Maybe I should get myself fired."
Millennium Actress
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Oliver
Thought Maker
Joined: 28 Feb 2004
Posts: 6096
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
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| Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:26 pm |
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gross
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:28 pm |
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| Monkey wrote: | | so what 36,000 children die every day to starvation |
Yes, that is true, and much of that time it is purposeful, but this is STILL wrong. You can't excuse bad behavior for another type of death.
Wise up, Mr.
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Monkey
Captain
Joined: 05 Feb 2004
Posts: 833
Location: On a quest you probably wouldn't believe.
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| Thu Apr 01, 2004 2:41 am |
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Why not? thats the biggest thing in the courts right now:
Oh since this man had a troubled childhood it's okay that he went postaal and blew up his niehborhood
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