COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A judge has rejected the guilty plea of a Columbia man accused of providing a false alibi to a caretaker convicted in the murder-for-hire killing of a disabled art dealer.
The Columbia Daily Tribune (http://bit.ly/1FzEWD9) reports that 27-year-old Christopher Hurt is the last of four defendants facing charges in the April 2013 shooting of 46-year-old Brian Daniels. Hurt is charged with hindering prosecution.
Prosecutors said Hurt provided a false alibi for James Thompson, who is serving a life sentence for Daniels' killing. Thompson forged Daniels' will in an effort to inherit his fortune. Daniels had won a nearly $5 million settlement after he was badly injured in a 2005 apartment fire
Hurt said Wednesday he didn't intentionally attempt to mislead police. Judge Christine Carpenter said Hurt's testimony didn't support his plea of guilty.