PHOENIX (AP) - The Latest on a court hearing Wednesday for a Phoenix man charged with murder in nine shooting deaths (all times local):
11:44 a.m.
An April 13 court hearing is scheduled for a judge to consider a request to take the death penalty off the table for a former bus driver in Phoenix charged in a string of nighttime killings.
Attorneys for Aaron Saucedo say authorities should no longer be able to seek the death penalty as a punishment for releasing video of their client in his jail cell.
They argue the release of the video to news organizations violates Saucedo’s rights.
Judge David Cunanan declined a request Wednesday from Saucedo’s attorneys to bar authorities from releasing any videos while the request to dismiss the death penalty is being resolved.
Saucedo has pleaded not guilty to charges in attacks that killed nine people during a nearly one-year period that ended in July 2016.
11:32 p.m.
A court hearing is scheduled Wednesday for a former city bus driver charged in a string of deadly nighttime shootings in Phoenix.
Aaron Saucedo has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges in attacks that killed nine people and wounded two others during a nearly one-year period that ended in July 2016.
Prosecutors say they intend to seek the death penalty in eight of the deaths.
Most of the killings were in a mostly Latino neighborhood where residents became afraid to go outside at night.
Police said the victims included a 21-year-old man whose girlfriend was pregnant with their son and a 12-year-girl who was shot to death along with her mother and a friend of the woman.
Saucedo has chosen not to attend six previous hearings.
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