[ad_1]
Modesto, Calif. – A Mexican citizen accused of living illegally in the United States was charged with murder on Wednesday when a California police officer was shot dead to verify his safety. he was drunk. Gustavo Perez Arriaga appeared for the first time in Modesto District Court, central California, but did not plead guilty to the murder of ] Cpl. Ronil Singh of the tiny Newman Police Department.
Perez Arriaga's lawyer, Stephen Foley, questioned his client's mental competence, which led the court to defer the case until the suspect obtained a assessment of his mental health, reported the newspaper Modesto Bee.
Perez Arriaga told the judge that his real name was Paulo Virgen Mendoza, but that the authorities still called him Perez Arriaga. A complaint gives him three pseudonyms, including Paulo Virgen Mendoza.
Singh's family and several of the 12 police department officers attended the hearing. Dozens of people were standing outside the courthouse and holding placards stating "Justice for Colonel Ronil Singh" and "Back the Blue".
Perez Arriaga is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 7, when a court-appointed doctor will present a report on his mental health condition, said John Goold, spokesman for the Stanislaus County Attorney's Office.
Perez Arriaga was arrested Friday after a long manhunt while he was preparing to flee to Mexico, officials said. He has already been arrested for driving drunk twice, authorities said.
The case rekindled the debate over California's law on sanctuaries restricting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. President Trump has seized the record to call for increased border security as part of a fight with congressional Democrats over the funding of a border wall, which forced closure partial government.
Singh was also an immigrant, legally coming to the United States from his native Fiji to pursue his dream of serving the forces of order, the authorities said. He joined the Newman Police Force in 2011. The 33-year-old was married and had a 5-month-old son.
Singh was killed around 1 am on December 26th. He was arrested as part of an investigation for impaired driving. The police did not discuss the motive for the murder.
Two of Perez Arriaga's brothers, his girlfriend and four others were arrested on suspicion of helping him escape the authorities.
Source link
