Livaditis Pleads Not Guilty in Slayings

Steven Livaditis, accused in a Beverly Hills jewelry store robbery attempt that left three people dead, pleaded not guilty to multiple murder charges, 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 before Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Robert W. Thomas, said “a lot of investigation has to be done about his background” before 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 13 1/2-hour siege that followed a botched holdup attempt at the Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry store on Rodeo Drive in June.