Livaditis Pleads Not Guilty to Murder in Arpels Holdup

Steven Livaditis, accused in the Beverly Hills jewelry store robbery that left three people dead, entered a not guilty plea to multiple murder charges Monday, but his attorney later indicated that Livaditis may eventually change the plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

Deputy Public Defender Michael H. Demby, who entered Livaditis’ plea at a hearing before Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Robert W. Thomas, said “a lot of investigation has to be done about his background” prior to the Brooklyn-born drifter’s trial.

Livaditis, 22, could face the death penalty if convicted of three counts of murder and nine other criminal charges stemming from a botched 13 1/2-hour siege at the posh Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry store on Rodeo Drive last June.

Two store employees were killed execution-style inside the store during the robbery, and the store manager was accidentally killed by a sheriff’s sharpshooter during Livaditis’ escape attempt.

A trial date for Livaditis will be set Sept. 8. His options include maintaining his not guilty plea, pleading that he was insane at the time of the crime, or pleading guilty and asking the jury only to spare him from the death penalty, his attorney said.