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3 plead not Three men charged with the 1998 shooting death of Army pilot John Latchum Jr. at the Waianae Army Recreation Center are scheduled to go to trial this month.
guilty in Latchum
Waianae slaying
Trial is scheduled this month
in the shooting death of an Army
pilot at a Waianae beach cabinStar-Bulletin staff
Bryson Jose, Keala Leong and Roberto Miguel pleaded not guilty yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Leslie Kobayashi. The three were indicted on murder, attempted robbery, attempted break-in and firearms charges.
Latchum, 33, was killed while vacationing with his wife and two children at a beachside cabin. He was trying to stop intruders from breaking into the cabin when he was shot with a .22-caliber rifle. Latchum died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
The three suspects were indicted earlier on first-degree murder and other charges, and were reindicted two weeks ago. The new indictments added an additional weapons charge against Miguel, who said he shot Latchum but that Jose ordered him to shoot, investigators said.
Miguel was 17 at the time of the shooting but will be tried as an adult.
First-degree murder carries a possible death sentence, but because Miguel was a juvenile, he will not face the death penalty.
Miguel could be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if convicted of the murder charge.
If convicted, Leong and Jose also could receive life sentences if prosecutors decline to seek the death penalty.
Earlier this year, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno declined to authorize a death penalty prosecution for Leong and Jose.