Trial for Christopher Monfort, charged with killing an officer, set for Sept. 13, 2013
SEATTLE -- A trial date has been set Christopher Monfort, charged with killing police officer Timothy Brenton on Oct. 31, 2009.
Judge Ronald Kessler set the trial date at Friday afternoon's status conference. Four initial pre-trial hearings were also scheduled, the first is set for August 3.
Monfort has been charged with aggravated first-degree murder for shooting and killing Brenton as he sat in his patrol car.He is also charged with attempted first-degree murder of officer trainee Britt Sweeney, Brenton's partner. He was also charged with attempted first-degree murder against Sgt. Gary Nelson, due to his actions when he was apprehended.
When Monfort was apprehended, he attempted to kill additonal officers with flammable devices he had planted at the Charles Street Vehicle Services Facility, which is used by Seattle police; those actions resulted in another charge of attempted arson.
Monfort has drawn a lot of attention throughout his court appearances due to his numerous outbursts.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg is seeking the death penalty against Monfort.
"The intentional, premeditated and random slaying of a police officer is deserving of the full measure of punishment under the law," Satterberg said when he announced he was seeking the death penalty against Monfort. "The magnitude of the crimes with which the defendant is charged, and the absence of significant mitigating factors, convinced me that we should submit this case to the jury with the full range of applicable punishments, including the possibility of the death penalty."
Monfort has pleaded not guilty.