A convicted child killer said Wednesday he does "not deny the allegations" that he kidnapped and killed a Beaumont boy, but a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Under California law, Joseph Edward Duncan III cannot enter a guilty plea because he is representing himself against first-degree murder and other charges stemming from the 1997 slaying of 10-year-old Anthony Martinez.
In a potential death-penalty case, a defendant must be represented by an attorney and have that lawyer's consent to enter a guilty plea.
Duncan, who is accused of snatching the boy from an alley in Beaumont and dumping his body in the Coachella Valley, appeared in court Wednesday and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, which is held to determine if there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial.
Since Duncan waived his right to the hearing, he was immediately arraigned, but Duncan told Riverside County Superior Court Judge David Downing he wanted to speak.
"I do not deny the allegations," Duncan said. "For the record, I just want to say that."
Downing said he could not allow Duncan to admit anything in court without waivers and other stipulations.
"I understand," Duncan told the judge.
Downing entered a not guilty plea on Duncan's behalf and set a Sept. 1 trial date. Duncan agreed to the date, but indicated he might need up to two years to prepare for trial.
Duncan, 46, was found competent to stand trial and represent himself in August by a jury.
He has already been sentenced to death for the kidnapping, molestation and murder of a 9-year-old boy in Idaho. He was linked to the Indio case during questioning in Idaho.
