A defense attorney entered an innocent plea Monday on behalf of a Little Rock child care worker who he said wants "to clear her name" in the shooting death of an Italian citizen last month.
Charina Fort's attorney, Michael Kaiser, entered the plea in Judge Hugh Finkelstein's district courtroom Monday morning. Fort, 31, surrendered to police Saturday and was charged with capital murder in the July 28 killing of Carlo Marigliano.
The 31-year-old Italian tourist was found fatally shot in the driver's seat of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The sport utility vehicle had crashed into an apartment building at 1601 N. Shackleford Road.
Another Little Rock resident, 32-year-old Andre Jackson, was also arrested in the killing. He was ordered held without bail at a Saturday hearing, according to the clerk's office.
Kaiser told the judge Monday that his client has no criminal history and works with toddlers at the Buttons & Bows Learning Center in Little Rock.
The lifelong Little Rock resident lives with her mother, Kaiser said, as he gestured to a woman who sat stoically among three other people on the courtroom benches.
The attorney said his client is "anxious to clear her name." Kaiser then requested Fort be held in lieu of a $100,000 bond.
Deputy prosecutor Rafael Gallaher disagreed, saying the 31-year-old should be held without bail. Finkelstein sided with the state.
After the hearing, Kaiser huddled with Fort's family outside the courtroom to discuss their next steps as two of the women quietly sobbed.
According to an arrest report, Jackson is accused of shooting Marigliano during a robbery. Fort's arrest report states that she was involved in the robbery. Further information on the circumstances surrounding the killing were unknown Monday.
Court records show that Jackson faces various charges in other cases.
In one case, Jackson has been charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia and felony possession of a controlled substance, along with a misdemeanor charge for possession of a controlled substance, court records show.
In another case, Jackson has been charged with theft of property, a felony charge, according to online court documents.
Marigliano's death marked Little Rock's 36th homicide of 2017. As of Monday afternoon, Little Rock has seen 39 homicides this year.
Both Jackson and Fort were listed on the Pulaski County jail's inmate roster Monday night.
Metro on 08/08/2017