Jaime Arana-Del Angel, accused of helping the man who allegedly shot two off-duty Denver police officers, pleaded not guilty Thursday.
The 5-foot-1-inch, 105-pound Arana-Del Angel appeared before Denver District Judge Robert McGahey and entered the plea through a translator.
Arana-Del Angel, 27, is accused of one count of accessory after the fact in the May 8 shooting death of Denver Detective Donald Young and the wounding of Detective Jack Bishop.
Both were working off-duty but in uniform at a baptismal party.
The alleged shooter, Raul Gomez-Garcia, 20, is being held by Mexican authorities. On July 18, Gov. Bill Owens started extradition proceedings for Gomez-Garcia by sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice several hours after he received documents from the Denver district attorney’s office.
Arana-Del Angel allegedly admitted to police that he dug a hole in the backyard of the home where Gomez-Garcia lived and watched Gomez- Garcia drop in gun magazines and ammunition.
He also, authorities say, helped Gomez-Garcia with gas money, drove him to Parachute and gave him directions to California.
The ammunition and magazines were not recovered. Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said he couldn’t comment on whether the gun was recovered because he is prohibited from discussing the evidence.
McGahey set a motions hearing in Arana-Del Angel’s case in October and set the trial for early December.
Staff writer Howard Pankratz can be reached at 303-820-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
