CLEARLAKE — Kevin Ray Stone, one of three defendants in a fatal shooting, pleaded not guilty to all charges against him during his arraignment at the Clearlake Superior Court Tuesday afternoon.
Stone and two co-defendants, Paul William Braden and Orlando Joseph Lopez, all pleaded not guilty to one count of murder, six counts of assault with a deadly weapon and five counts of attempted murder.
The three men are accused of committing these crimes during a June 18 shooting in Clearlake, when Skyler Rapp, 4, was killed and several of his family members, including his mother, were wounded.
Judge Stephen O. Hedstrom presided over the hearing, during which the three defendants were scheduled for a series of court appearances leading up to a preliminary examination on Sept. 28. The preliminary hearing will take at least five days, said Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson, who is prosecuting the case.
Rapp”s aunt, Rachael Barnard, attended Stone”s arraignment and plans to be in the audience at all of his future court appearances, she said.
“It doesn”t get any easier each time I see them,” Barnard said. “If anything it gets harder.”
Stone, Lopez and Braden all waived their right to a continuous preliminary examination on the advice of their attorneys, Komnith Moth, Stephen Carter and Doug Rhoades.
The defendants and counsel will appear in Department 4 at 8:15 a.m. on Sept. 20 for a preliminary hearing readiness conference.
