Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 14 July 2017
Suspect in deadly Times Square crash pleads not guilty

By COLLEEN LONG Twenty-six-year-old Richard badly injured, sat in court foot, received a standing mine how civilized of a so-
Associated Press Rojas, dressed in a beige and cried during the brief ovation. Jessica Williams ciety we are,” said defense
NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. jail uniform, mostly looked hearing with two others, in- was hospitalized still at the attorney Enrico DeMarco.
Navy veteran pleaded not down at the defense ta- cluding a man who gave time of her graduation but Photographers snapped
guilty Thursday to murder ble during his arraignment Rojas the finger as he left it’s not clear if she remains pictures of a wild-eyed Ro-
and attempted murder af- in the May 18 melee. He court. In June, the mother, so. The family had no com- jas after he climbed from
ter he was accused of in- spoke only to tell the judge Elaine Williams, accepted ment Thursday. the wrecked car and ran
tentionally mowing down good morning; his lawyer her daughter’s diploma at Rojas’ attorney said outside through the street wav-
pedestrians on a Times entered the plea. Dunellen high school on court it was a “terrible thing ing his arms. He told police
Square sidewalk, killing a The mother of one of the her behalf, wearing her that happened.” he’d been smoking mari-
woman and injuring 22 oth- victims, high school student cap as she and another “But how we handle this juana laced with the hallu-
er people. Jessica Williams who was injured girl, Destiny Light- type of a case will deter- cinogen PCP.q

Hawaii soldier thought US government behind 9/11 attacks

sonal combat skills, cou- he never heard Kang ex-
pled with his strong stated press support for the en-
desire to kill people in the emy. They shared sleeping
name of Islamic State, quarters, ate together and
makes him one of the practiced mixed martial
more dangerous criminal arts. “If I had known that
defendants to have been then ... I wouldn’t even
charged in this judicial dis- have talked to him after
trict,” prosecutors wrote that,” Lyles said.
in a motion asking that be Lyles said he and Kang de-
held without bail. bated about conspiracies,
According to court docu- including that 9/11 was a
ments, Kang met with false flag attack staged by
undercover agents he the U.S. to spark wars in the
thought were from the Is- Middle East. Kang aspired
lamic State group at a to become a pro MMA
home in Honolulu, where fighter, Lyles said. Kang
he pledged allegiance to completed a course to be-
the group and kissed an Is- come a tactical combat
lamic State flag. Kang was instructor to soldiers, ac-
arrested immediately “to cording to an FBI complaint
remove the possibility that filed in court. With help from
he would act on his impulse a Veterans Administration
to kill people in the name loan, Kang purchased a
Birney Bervar, center, addresses reporters outside the federal courthouse in Honolulu on Monday, of Islamic State,” prosecu- condo in May 2016 in a tidy
July 10, 2017. Bervar was appointed the attorney for Ikaika Kang, a 34-year-old active duty soldier tors wrote. Kang and Dustin suburban complex about
who has been accused of trying to aid the Islamic State. Lyles, a medically retired a 20-minute drive to Scho-
(AP Photo/Caleb Jones) soldier, bunked together for field Barracks, according
By JENNIFER KELLEHER believed the moon land- a former Army bunkmate. a month in 2013 during mili- to property records. Dee
CALEB JONES ing was faked, questioned Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika tary training. The two were Asuncion, the real estate
Associated Press the assassination of Presi- Kang is scheduled to ap- friends for several years be- agent who helped him with
HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. dent John F. Kennedy and pear in federal court in fore Lyle left the Army and his condo purchase, told
soldier accused of wanting thought the Sept. 11 terror- Honolulu Thursday for a de- the two lost touch. The Associated Press that
to commit a mass shoot- ist attacks were an inside tention hearing. Lyles told The Associated there was one conversa-
ing after pledging loyalty job coordinated by the U.S. “Kang’s military training, Press that Kang’s arrest tion that seemed strange
to the Islamic State group government, according to weapons abilities and per-
came as a shock and that to her. q

Man charged with killing wife in Uber car pleads not guilty

By GENE JOHNSON night” but didn’t remember woman slumped over. The firearm, he consumed nu- McCabe entered the plea
Associated Press what happened during the couple had been arguing merous alcoholic drinks on his behalf.
SEATTLE (AP) — A man ac- ride July 2, according to about whether to attend a and argued with his wife Espitia, a Coast Guard em-
cused of drunkenly shoot- charging documents. wedding after-party, dep- when she wanted him to go ployee with no criminal his-
ing his wife to death dur- Authorities said he was sit- uty King County prosecu- home instead of proceed- tory, spoke only to confirm
ing an Uber ride in Seattle ting in the back of the ride- tor Jessica Berliner wrote in ing to the after-party.” his identity.
pleaded not guilty Thursday hailing vehicle and his wife, court papers. Espitia was flanked by two He faces up to 23 years if
to second-degree murder. Jennifer Morrison Espitia, 29, “The defendant decided attorneys, Joseph Alvarado convicted.
Cameron Espitia, 31, who is was in the front passenger he was going to ‘cut loose’ and Kevin McCabe, dur- Relatives and friends of
jailed on $3 million bail, told seat. at a wedding,” she wrote. ing his arraignment before the couple packed the
investigators he had been The driver described hear- “Despite the fact that he Judge Sean O’Donnell in courtroom but left without
drinking and “having a bad ing a bang and seeing the was armed with a loaded King County Superior Court. speaking to reporters. q