Man Pleads Innocent in Teenager’s Slaying
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A 50-year-old Simi Valley man accused of fatally shooting a teenager, possibly mistaken for a burglar, told a Municipal Court judge Thursday he is innocent of the voluntary manslaughter charge.
Prosecutors say Edward Nishida Drake fired a .44-caliber revolver once at Leonard Anthony Coppola, 17, as the youth fumbled with a padlocked gate outside the defendant’s Simi Valley automotive shop Oct. 10.
On Thursday, with Public Defender Robert Willey by his side, Drake entered a not-guilty plea before Judge Stephen Hintz.
The charges carry a maximum punishment of 21 years in prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 12.
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