2 More Held in Ambush Slaying of L.A. Officer

Two more suspects have been arrested in the ambush slaying last October of Los Angeles police Detective Thomas C. Williams, bringing to six the number of defendants charged in the case, prosecutors said Thursday.

David W. Bentley, 32, of Altadena and Reecy C. Cooper, 31, of Los Angeles were arrested Tuesday and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. They pleaded innocent at their arraignment Wednesday and are being held in County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail each pending a March 17 preliminary hearing.

District attorney’s office spokesman Al Albergate declined to say what evidence police have linking the two men to the ambush shooting of Williams last Halloween in front of the Faith Baptist Church and day-care center in Canoga Park.

“The only thing we can say publicly is we allege the two men were part of the plot to kill Detective Williams,” Albergate said.

Williams was killed just hours after he testified in the robbery and assault trial of Daniel S. Jenkins, 30, who was convicted of the holdup the day after the shooting. Police have said Jenkins, who was free on $16,000 bail at the time of the robbery trial, was the man who shot Williams.

The criminal complaint against Bentley and Cooper alleges that the two men began conspiring to kill Williams in mid-June and that Bentley purchased a KG99 rifle. The complaint also states that the two men visited Jenkins’ North Hollywood residence on Oct. 29, two days before Williams was killed. The document did not say what was discussed.

The document also states that Cooper “took possession of a handgun” on Oct. 29 and later that day “accompanied others” to a Glade Street address in Canoga Park, believed to be the address of the church and day-care center where Williams was shot to death from a passing car by a man wearing a ski mask. Police identified the murder weapon as a MAC-10 automatic handgun.

Attorneys Appointed

Attorney David S. Wesley was appointed by the court to represent Cooper and attorney Charles C. Patton was selected to represent Bentley.

“It’s our belief that they will ultimately be exonerated of all charges,” Patton said. He declined to comment on police reports connected to the arrests, saying, “It’s best for this evidence to unfold in the courtroom.”

Jenkins and three other men have already been charged with Williams’ murder and are awaiting trial. Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced April 8 on the robbery and assault conviction.

In addition to the Williams slaying, Jenkins also is charged with the Fourth of July attempted murder of the robbery victim, North Hollywood theater manager George Carpenter. Carpenter was shot four times by his assailant but survived the attack.