| In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors. |
Man pleads innocent in slaying of Oceanside policeman
Wednesday June 18, 2003VISTA, Calif. (AP) An Oceanside man with a long criminal history pleaded innocent Wednesday to charges of murdering a police officer after a judge ordered dozens of the slain man's colleagues to disarm before entering the courthouse.
Adrian George Camacho, 28, was arraigned on charges of fatally shooting Officer Tony Zeppetella during a traffic stop Friday. Camacho allegedly shot Zeppetella repeatedly as the officer tried to crawl to safety, then fled in Zeppetella's patrol car.
The officer, who had been on the force 13 months, is survived by his wife and 6-month-old son.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Richard Mills ordered Camacho held without bail.
Court records show Camacho pleaded guilty to four felonies between 1993 and 1999. The charges included drug and weapons counts, fleeing from a traffic stop, and participation in a drive-by shooting.
A probation report recommending prison for Camacho when he was 18 described him as ``a committed gang member who poses a serious threat to the community.''
Several police officers complained to Mills about the ban on pistols in the courthouse.
``We think what the court did was wrong, but we complied,'' said Karen McDonough, a spokeswoman for the Oceanside Police Department. ``It strikes us a slap in the face to the professionalism of our officers.''
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which is responsible for courthouse security, told the Oceanside Police Department Tuesday that armed officers wouldn't be allowed in the courthouse, said spokesman Chris Saunders.
Since January 2002, the Superior Court has prohibited law enforcement officers from carrying weapons in the courthouse.
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