Former Miami Hurricanes football player Rashaun Jones pleads not guilty in killing ex-teammate Bryan Pata

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MIAMI — Previous University of Miami football player Rashaun Jones pleaded not responsible on Friday to charges of killing a teammate outside the house a South Florida condominium elaborate in 2006.

An legal professional for Jones, 35, entered the plea all through a remote courtroom hearing following prosecutors formally filed next-diploma murder prices in opposition to him.

Jones, who was arrested very last thirty day period, was lengthy suspected in the death of Bryan Pata, 22. Jones was initially arrested on a initially-diploma murder cost, and prosecutors explained he could nonetheless facial area that charge. But to indict him on that cost, prosecutors would have to existing the situation to a grand jury.

Pata was expected to be an early choose in the 2007 NFL draft pursuing his fourth and remaining period with the Hurricanes. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound (1.9-meter, 127-kilogram) defensive lineman was shot and killed outdoors his Kendall apartment the night of Nov. 7, 2006.

Some witnesses claimed to hear arguing and then gunshots. Regardless of Pata getting hundreds of dollars in his wallet, neither his auto nor the income had been taken, law enforcement stated.

Investigators claimed they discovered through several interviews that Pata and Jones, who performed three seasons with the Hurricanes, had professional confrontations just before the taking pictures. Pata formerly defeat his teammate during a combat, officials said. And Pata’s brother instructed investigators that Jones experienced threatened to shoot Pata two months right before his loss of life. Regardless of the urging of his brother, Pata in no way documented the threat.

For the duration of two interviews with detectives, Jones advised investigators that he was at his own dwelling and under no circumstances still left on the evening of Pata’s loss of life. But information demonstrate that Jones’ cell phone was utilizing distinctive cell towers close to the time of the shooting, authorities reported. And an eyewitness in the area at the time of the capturing discovered Jones in a image lineup, law enforcement stated.

Info from the Involved Press was utilized in this report