Murder Case Plea

A drug addict who allegedly boasted that he and a partner killed Los Feliz restaurateur Alberto Sarno to “shut him up” during a holdup pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and attempted robbery charges. Ex-convict Ralph Mora, 33, also denied two special circumstance allegations--soliciting Sarno’s murder and killing him during an attempted robbery--that qualify him for a possible death penalty if convicted. Mora entered his pleas at a Los Angeles Superior Court arraignment and was ordered held without bail pending a pretrial hearing Feb. 10. At that hearing, the district attorney’s office will announce whether it intends to seek the death penalty against him.