MISSOULA — A Montana judge has denied a request to delay the sentencing of a man convicted of killing a German exchange student who broke into his garage.
KTMF-TV reports District Judge Ed McLean said Wednesday that he will sentence Markus Kaarma of Missoula on Feb. 12 for the April 2014 death of 17-year-old Diren Dede.
The defense sought to delay sentencing until McLean could rule on a motion for a new trial due to media coverage of the shooting, or a conviction on a reduced charge of mitigated deliberate homicide based on the argument that Kaarma was defending himself and his family.
McLean said any ruling on the earlier defense motions would be made after sentencing.