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Delbert Belton murder suspects plead not guilty Supporters for suspects Demetrius Glenn, 16, and Kenan Adams-Kinard, 16, showed up in court as Glenn and Adams-Kinard entered their pleas. view full article
The two Spokane, Washington 16-year-old boys accused of brutally beating to death an 88-year-old World War II veteran last month have each entered not guilty pleas. This despite fingerprint evidence on Delbert Belton’s car that places both Demetruis Glenn and Kenan Adams-Kinard at the scene of the crime, where the elderly man was found dead and wedged between the two front seats. The boys will stand trial separately in November and both will be tried as adults in this case that has sparked nationwide outrage. The teens said little during their separate appearances Thursday before Spokane County Superior Court Judge James Triplet. They are accused of beating Delbert ‘Shorty’ Belton to death with flashlights in his car outside an Eagles Lodge in Spokane August 22. Investigators allegedly found Glenn’s prints on the outside of the car and the inside of the passenger door behind the driver’s seat, according to Fox News. Prints said to belong to Adams-Kinard were found on the outside of the driver’s door and inside of the back passenger door, the affidavit said. The teenagers face charges of first-degree murder and two charges of first-degree robbery. They could face life in prison if convicted. Belton’s body was found wedged between the front bucket seats, with his lower body folded into the back seat. A letter found at the home where Adams-Kinard was arrested said they punched Belton three times before taking his wallet and drugs from his pockets, authorities said. The letter indicated Adams-Kinard had called Belton and arranged to buy crack cocaine. However, police have said there was no evidence that Belton was a drug dealer. Glenn, who turned himself in, was being held in lieu of $2 million bail, and his trial was set for November 9. Adams-Kinard, who is suspected of hiding from police after the slaying, is jailed on $3 million bail. His trial is set for November 4. Adams-Kinard and Demetrius Glenn both have previous convictions for assault and were caught on security cameras at the time of the killing. Glenn gave himself up immediately to the police, but Adams-Kinard went on the run for four days and allegedly told friends during his time in hiding that the beating occurred because of a drug deal gone wrong.
Teen boys accused of brutally beating a WWII veteran to death with flashlights both plead not guilty- Boys' fingerprints were found in vehicle where 88-year-old's body was discovered
- Demetrius Glenn and Kenan Adams-Kinard, both 16, will each stand trial in November
- Police believe fatal attack was a botched robbery
- Victim Delbert 'Shorty' Belton given funeral with full military honors
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Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 01:04 EST, 13 September 2013 |
UPDATED: 04:10 EST, 13 September 2013
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The two Spokane, Washington 16-year-old boys accused of brutally beating to death an 88-year-old World War II veteran last month have each entered not guilty pleas.
This despite fingerprint evidence on Delbert Belton’s car that places both Demetruis Glenn and Kenan Adams-Kinard at the scene of the crime, where the elderly man was found dead and wedged between the two front seats.
The boys will stand trial separately in November and both will be tried as adults in this case that has sparked nationwide outrage.
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Suspects: Demetrius Glenn, left, and Kenan Adams Kinard, right, have pleaded not guilty to beating a war veteran to death with flashlights
The teens said little during their separate appearances Thursday before Spokane County Superior Court Judge James Triplet.
They are accused of beating Delbert ‘Shorty’ Belton to death with flashlights in his car outside an Eagles Lodge in Spokane August 22.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...66_306x423.jpg Dark past: Adams-kinard was convicted of third-degree theft and fourth-degree assault in June. He's now charged with murder along with Glenn
Investigators allegedly found Glenn's prints on the outside of the car and the inside of the passenger door behind the driver's seat, according to Fox News.
Prints said to belong to Adams-Kinard were found on the outside of the driver's door and inside of the back passenger door, the affidavit said.
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The teenagers face charges of first-degree murder and two charges of first-degree robbery. They could face life in prison if convicted.
Belton's body was found wedged between the front bucket seats, with his lower body folded into the back seat.
A letter found at the home where Adams-Kinard was arrested said they punched Belton three times before taking his wallet and drugs from his pockets, authorities said.
The letter indicated Adams-Kinard had called Belton and arranged to buy crack cocaine. However, police have said there was no evidence that Belton was a drug dealer.
Glenn, who turned himself in, was being held in lieu of $2 million bail, and his trial was set for November 9.
Adams-Kinard, who is suspected of hiding from police after the slaying, is jailed on $3 million bail. His trial is set for November 4.
Adams-Kinard and Demetrius Glenn both have previous convictions for assault and were caught on security cameras at the time of the killing.
Glenn gave himself up immediately to the police, but Adams-Kinard went on the run for four days and allegedly told friends during his time in hiding that the beating occurred because of a drug deal gone wrong.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...36_634x444.jpg Detained: Demetrius Glenn, left, confers with attorney Christian Phelps. He is charged with first degree murder and first degree robbery.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...19_634x508.jpg High price: Here, Glenn is led away by an officer. He will be tried as an adult because of the severity of the attack, as will Adams-Kinard. They have both pleaded not guilty
The letter said that after purchasing a 'zip of crack cocaine from Shorty,' the teens 'proceeded to sock him'.
'I took his wallet and another ounce of crack from his pockets,' the letter said, according to the court document. 'He was unconscious so I made sure he was still breathing, and then I took off.'
Police have said that they seriously doubt Adams-Kinard's story and spokesman, Monique Cotton said in a statement: 'We have no evidence to support that.'
Even Glenn's lawyer, Christian Phelps, told NBC News that he was skeptical and said, 'It doesn't seem plausible to me. I wouldn't put any stock in it at this point.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...85_634x630.jpg Most wanted: Police say Adams-Kinard was arrested after a four day man-hunt
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Fighter: Delbert Belton, a World War II hero, left, is believed to have tried to fight off his attackers
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...10_634x475.jpg Surrender: Glenn turned himself in to police custody through his lawyer
However, Phelps also pointed out that, 'there are no eyewitnesses and no forensic evidence that links either of the kids to the crime.'
Adams-Kinard and Glenn are accused of battering the war hero to death with flashlights after he fought back during a robbery and, according to Belton's daughter-in-law: 'They just kept hitting and hitting him.'
'He was an 88-year-old man,' Barbara Belton told NBC News. 'Even if they wanted his money and he didn't want to give it to them, they didn't need to do that. They did a horrendous thing and they need to pay the consequences.'
Belton was born in Sunnyside and raised in Spokane. He got his nickname as an adult for being just over 5 feet tall.
When he was buried last week hundreds gathered at Greenwood Memorial Terrace on August 30 to bid farewell to Mr Belton, a man whose courage defined him at all stages of his life.
Uniformed soldiers joined the mourners and the Rev Homer Todd told how Mr Belton had fought bravely and was shot in the leg in the Battle of Okinawa only to be senselessly murdered.
After the war, he spent 33 years working for Kaiser Aluminum before retiring in 1982.
According to NBC, at the funeral he was described 'as a man who was short of stature but full of life and generosity, a tinkerer who loved souping up cars in his project-cluttered garage, and an "agile" dancer who needed no coaxing to get out on the floor.'
Rev Todd said: 'There are a lot of gals that will miss having a partner at those events. He was short, but full of vim and vinegar.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...42_634x422.jpg Fallen soldier: With hundreds in attendance, Spokane veteran Delbert Belton was buried with full military honors during a public service
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...97_634x335.jpg Police escort: Members of the Spokane Police Motor Unit escort the family of Delbert Belton to the graveside
However, Phelps also pointed out that, 'there are no eyewitnesses and no forensic evidence that links either of the kids to the crime.'
Mr Belton was found wedged between the two front seats of his car and was battered so badly he sustained brain damage and had lost too much blood to survive the violent attack.
Adams-Kinard and Glenn are accused of battering the war hero to death with flashlights after he fought back during a robbery and, according to Mr Belton's daughter-in-law: 'They just kept hitting and hitting him.'
'He was an 88-year-old man,' Barbara Belton told NBC News. 'Even if they wanted his money and he didn't want to give it to them, they didn't need to do that. They did a horrendous thing and they need to pay the consequences.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...66_634x414.jpg Fond farewell: Pallbearers remove Delbert Belton's casket from a hearse during the graveside service
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