A hearing for two former Allan Hancock College basketball players to enter their pleas to murder and other charges has been continued to Friday in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
The case against Lavell C. White, 22, and Ali A. Mohammed, 19, was called Tuesday afternoon in a Santa Maria courtroom but the arraignment was continued, Deputy District Attorney Tim Covello said.
The men were taken into custody Saturday in connection with the fatal shooting of Terence Richardson, 23, of Santa Maria in the 1000 block of East Jones Street on Dec. 30.
Richardson was taken to Marian Regional Medical Center with gunshot injuries. He died at the hospital.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office said both defendants have been charged with murder and attempted robbery.
Mohammed also was charged with an enhancement for the personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing the death of Richardson.
White was also charged with an additional firearm enhancement.
The arraignment was continued to Friday in Department 9 of the Santa Maria Superior Court before Judge James Iwasko.
Both men sought court-appointed attorneys so the Public Defender’s Office was appointed for one while the other will be assigned through the conflict resolution team.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.