SANTA ANA, Calif. — A 68-year-old Las Vegas man pleaded not guilty on Friday to killing a doctor and wounding five other people during a shooting rampage at a Laguna Woods church that authorities allege was driven by a long-running hatred of Taiwanese people.
Through his attorney, David Wenwei Chou entered a not guilty plea to murder and attempted murder charges and hate-crime enhancements.
Chou appeared confused at times as he stood in a holding cell in the Santa Ana courtroom and listened to a Mandarin-language interpreter through a head set. At one point he told the judge, in English, “I am not clear, I don’t know what you want me to do,” before his attorney spoke to him and he agreed to allow his next court appearance to be set for Oct. 21.
