COURT DATE DELAYED IN FREEWAY SLAYING.Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer Arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted of two men suspected of killing a motorist on the side of a freeway was postponed Friday because neither suspect - including one arrested at the courthouse - had an attorney. Dennis Forsythe Reese, 39, of Palmdale and Thomas Warren, 29, asked that the proceedings be delayed for two weeks so they could retain defense counsel, said Deputy District Attorney Terry White. The prosecution appealed to Judge Robert Drees that the arraignment be continued no later than Monday. Both men, charged with murder and held without bail, will return to Newhall Municipal Court that day to enter their pleas, White ordered. Detectives and prosecutors said the pair were involved in the May 8 shooting death of John Gabriel Note: For the actor of the same name, see John Gabriel (actor). For the webcomic character, see Penny Arcade. John Gabriel is an executive in the National Basketball Association. Fitusi, 30, of Sherman Oaks. California Highway Patrol highway patrol n. A state law enforcement organization whose police officers patrol the public highways. officers spotted a white sedan Sedan (sədäN`), town (1990 pop. 22,407), Ardennes dept., NE France, on the Meuse River. A noted textile center since the 16th cent., Sedan also has metal and brewing industries. The town became part of French crown lands in 1642. parked along the right shoulder of the northbound Antelope Valley Freeway The Antelope Valley Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Kern counties in southern California. It is signed as California State Highway 14 along its length. It connects Greater Los Angeles to the rapidly developing Antelope Valley. about 3 a.m., with Fitusi slumped over the steering wheel, said Deputy District Attorney Sue Lasicka. Sheriff's Department homicide detectives had come to the Newhall courthouse Thursday to request an arrest warrant for Warren, a transient. They were surprised at their luck when a sharp-eyed courthouse clerk pointed out a man sitting in the lobby who matched the physical description of the murder suspect being sought, prosecutors said. ``Lo and behold, there he was,'' White said. Investigators arrested Warren on the spot. Authorities weren't sure why Warren came to the courthouse Thursday, except that he may have been there to attend Reese's arraignment, which was postponed because he hadn't secured legal representation. Meanwhile, authorities still hadn't determined a reason behind the fatal shooting. Reese described Fitusi as his best friend, Lasicka said. ``That's what I kept asking the (detectives): What exactly is the motivation?'' Detectives have found a gasoline receipt dated May 8 from a Unocal station in Van Nuys, meaning Fitusi made a purchase no more than a few hours before his bullet-riddled body was discovered, Lasicka said. Apparently, the victim was driving the rented 1997 Buick Skylark The Buick Skylark is a passenger car produced by the Buick division of General Motors. The model was made in six production runs. In each run, the car design varied dramatically due to changing technology and tastes, as well as new standards implemented over the years. because his car had recently been stolen in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Fitusi had reported his 1994 Toyota Camry The Toyota Camry is a mid-size sedan assembled by Toyota in Georgetown, Kentucky; Altona, Victoria, Guangzhou, China and the original factory in Toyota City, Japan. In some markets, the top range Camry models are seen as executive cars. was taken between May 1 and May 3 from a parking lot on Roscoe and Van Nuys boulevards, Lasicka said. It wasn't clear, however, whether the car theft was linked in any way to Fitusi's murder a few days later, the prosecutor added. |
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