XPost: alt.law-enforcement, alt.california, talk.politics.guns
XPost: sac.politics, alt.society.liberalism
LOS ANGELES — The man charged with murder in the ambush killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity on Wednesday.
Officials say Kevin Cataneo Salazar fatally shot 30-year-old Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was sitting in a patrol car, on Saturday in Palmdale,
a city of more than 167,000 residents in the high desert of northern Los Angeles County.
The deputy was “waiting for a red light to turn” when he was shot, Sheriff Robert Luna said.
Prosecutors charged Cataneo Salazar, 29, with one count of murder, plus
special circumstance allegations of murder of a peace officer, murder
committed by lying in wait, murder committed by firing from a car and
personal use of a firearm. His attorney, George Rosenstock, entered a plea
of not guilty and a dual plea of not guilty by reason of insanity on his
behalf during Wednesday’s arraignment.
Cataneo Salazar was arrested Monday after an hourslong standoff with
sheriff’s deputies. He had barricaded himself inside his family’s Palmdale home.
Cataneo Salazar remained held without bail and is scheduled to return to
court in November. Rosenstock did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment, though his office said the legal team would not be discussing the case further.
At an afternoon news conference, District Attorney George Gascón said prosecutors owe it to the slain deputy’s family to secure a conviction and
a sentence of life.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure the defendant
never gets out of prison,” Gascón said. He was flanked by Clinkunbroomer’s fiancee, parents, brother and sister. Dozens of sheriff’s deputies lined
the walls wearing black mourning bands over their badges.
Brittany Lindsey, Clinkunbroomer’s fiancee, fought back tears as she
recounted their plans to get married and raise a family.
“Ryan was the best guy I ever met,” Lindsey said during the news
conference. “I couldn’t wait to start our lives together.”
Prosecutors haven’t laid out a motive in the case or said whether Clinkunbroomer and Cataneo Salazar previously knew each other.
Cataneo Salazar’s mother and other family members did not return phone and email messages seeking comment.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspect-ambush-killing-l-deputy- pleads-not-guilty-due-insanity-rcna108125
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