Man to Stand Trial in Hospital Slaying
A former UCLA Medical Center employee was ordered to stand trial Thursday on charges he shot and killed a co-worker and seriously wounded his supervisor in the university’s first homicide in 20 years.
Brian Keith Major, 18, who has pleaded not guilty, is charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder. He was ordered held for trial following a preliminary hearing before Municipal Court Judge Richard Berry.
Major also faces a so-called special circumstances allegation of lying in wait, and he could receive the death penalty or a life prison sentence if convicted.
He allegedly killed a former co-worker, Diondra Ann Picou, 22, and wounded his supervisor, Nora S. Arellano, 30, during a pre-dawn shooting at the Medical Center’s patient escort office Feb. 19.
Police said Major was angry at his supervisor over pending discipline for his job performance as a patient escort.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
