ST. LOUIS — Accused cop killer Thomas Kinworthy appeared in court Wednesday morning and told a judge he didn’t know what he is being charged with.
His public defender told Judge Michael Colona her client was entering a plea of not guilty and waived formal arraignment, which would have allowed Colona to read the charges against Kinworthy to him.
Kinworthy and his attorney appeared at the hearing via a video conferencing program because the courthouse is limiting the number of people allowed inside due to the pandemic.
When Colona asked Kinworthy if he knew he had been indicted, Kinworthy said, “What am I being charged with? I don’t even know what I’m being charged with.”
Colona told him his attorney had already entered his plea and waived his arraignment, and a judge had to do what his attorney tells him to do and to take any issues up with his attorney following the hearing.
Kinworthy then shook his head in disgust and a bailiff escorted him away from the video camera.
A grand jury indicted Kinworthy on 10 charges including first-degree murder, four counts of armed criminal action, two counts of first-degree assault, one count of burglary, resisting arrest and unlawful use of a weapon.
One of them, Tamarris Bohannon, was shot in the head and died from his injuries. A second officer was shot in the leg as he tried to render aide to his fellow officer.
Kinworthy's next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story contained incorrect information about Kinworthy's next hearing.
