LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Las Vegas man accused of killing one man and wounding five other people in a shooting at a Taiwanese American church gathering pleaded not guilty Friday in a California court.
David Chou, 68, is charged with murder with an enhancement for a hate crime and five counts of attempted murder.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Cynthia M. Herrera ordered Chou to be held without bail. He is due back in court on Oct. 21.
According to a story by The Associated Press, Chou — or David Wenwei Chou — appeared in a caged section of the courtroom wearing black rimmed glasses, a face mask and yellow jail jumpsuit.
He spoke with the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter using a headset.
At times, he told the judge in English he couldn’t hear through the headset and was unsure of what she wanted him to do.
She repeated her questions, which the interpreter relayed and he responded through the interpreter.
The AP story said the district attorney’s office declined comment after the hearing, as did Chou’s attorney.
Prosecutors say Chou was motivated by a long-running hatred of Taiwan and its people stemming from his life on the island as a boy after his family was forced to move from mainland China when Communists took control.
Authorities say that before firing May 15 with a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun Chou mingled at a luncheon with members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California.
He killed Dr. John Cheng, 52, of Laguna Niguel, California, who tried to stop the attack.
