By Kathy Finn
NEW ORLEANS, Aug 25 (Reuters) – Three people charged in
connection with the killing of two Louisiana police officers
pleaded not guilty to first degree murder charges and being a
principal to first-degree murder.
A grand jury returned indictments on Friday morning formally
charging Brian Lyn Smith and Kyle David Joekel with two counts
of first degree murder in the Aug. 16 shooting deaths of police
officers Jeremy Triche and Brandon Nielsen. It charged Brittney
Keith as a principal to first-degree murder in both deaths.
The three entered their pleas following an arraignment in a
St. John Parish court.
Additional charges are expected against the three suspects
and four others arrested with them following a shooting
described by police as an ambush that occurred in LaPlace, 25
miles west of New Orleans.
The incident began in the parking lot of a local refinery,
where the suspects allegedly shot and wounded Deputy Michael
Scott Boyington as he directed traffic during a shift change at
the plant.
Police tracked the shooters to a local trailer park and had
begun questioning two of them when a third came out of the
trailer and fired on the deputies, killing Triche and Nielsen,
and wounding deputy Jason Triche.
Both Boyington and Jason Triche remain hospitalized and are
said to be improving.
All seven suspects are in custody at the St. Charles Parish
Correctional Center.
Louisiana law allows the district attorney to seek the death
penalty for persons convicted of first-degree murder of a police
officer in the performance of duty.
The district attorney’s office would not comment on when the
case may be set for trial.
(Editing by Greg McCune and Vicki Allen)
