Man Pleads No Contest In Deputy's Death
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Originally charged with capital murder, 29-year-old Arnoldo Pineda has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the death of an off-duty L.A. County Sheriff's deputy.
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KNX 1070 Reports: Pineda Pleads No Contest In Deputy's Death
Deputy District Attorney John Colello says Pineda drove to and from the crime scene, but was not armed.
Pineda, who is not a gang member, may have been forced to drive. Colello says Pineda is remorseful.
Deputy Juan Escalante was not in uniform when he was gunned down more than two years ago in Cypress Park.
Colello says the deputy was mistaken for a rival cypress park gangmember.
Four other men have been charged with murder in this case. One was a juvenile at the time. Three have pleaded not guilty, but other one is at large.
Escalante was a 27-year-old father who worked at Men's Central Jail.
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