Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Katherine Mader denied a request Thursday by the defense for 27-year-old Sina Khankhanian, the man charged with second-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Emily Shane last year, to reduce the charge to gross vehicular manslaughter.
The next court date is Tuesday, and Khankhanian’s attorney Bradley Brunon said he expected both the defense and prosecution to be in court daily from then on. Brunon said expected jury selection for the trial to begin next week. Brunon said Mader could be the judge for the entire trial, although it was not certain at this point.
Khankhanian is accused of intentionally striking Shane with his car as she walked along Pacific Coast Highway last April. He has pled not guilty to the charge of murder in the death of Shane. Brunon filed the motion earlier this month to have the murder charge reduced to gross vehicular manslaughter, but Mader dismissed that.
Second-degree murder is defined under California law as the intentional killing of another person but without premeditation. It carries a sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment in state prison.