Local News in Brief : Death Asked for 2 More in Slaying of Detective

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for two more of the six men charged in the slaying of a police detective who was gunned down last Halloween as he picked up his son at a Canoga Park day-care center, authorities said Tuesday.

David W. Bentley, 32, of Altadena and Reecy C. Cooper, 31, of Los Angeles were arraigned Monday in Los Angeles Municipal Court on charges of murder with special circumstances in the killing of Los Angeles Police Detective Thomas C. Williams.

The two had been arrested in March and charged with conspiracy to commit murder but not with the murder itself. Their arrests came four months after police arrested Daniel Steven Jenkins, 30; Rubin A. (Tony) Moss, 24; Duane Moody, 28, and Voltaire Williams, 23, and charged them with the killing.

Jenkins and Moss also are facing the death penalty.

Special circumstances are warranted against Bentley and Cooper because Williams was a police officer who allegedly was killed in retaliation for testimony against Jenkins in a robbery trial and the suspects were lying in wait for the victim, Assistant Dist. Atty. Richard L. Jenkins said.

Testimony in the preliminary hearing of Bentley and Cooper concluded Tuesday afternoon. Judge David M. Horwitz said he would decide this morning whether the two must stand trial on the charges.