Innocent plea in Ga. courthouse shootings

ATLANTA, May 17 (UPI) -- An Atlanta man pleaded innocent Tuesday to a 54-count indictment charging him with four slayings during a March 11 courthouse shooting.

In a brief appearance before Superior Court Judge Hilton Fuller, brought in from DeKalb County to hear the case, Brian Nichols did not speak, with his attorneys entering his plea, CNN reported.

The defendant's attorneys are also trying to get Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard removed from the case because he was in the courthouse when the shootings occurred. A hearing on that issue will take place next month, along with a hearing on a gag order.

Nichols is charged with slaying Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, court reporter Julie Ann Brandau, Sgt. Hoyt Teasley of the Fulton County Sheriff's Department, and Customs Agent David Wilhelm.

Nichols was arrested 26 hours after the courthouse shootings. He had been on trial for rape and kidnapping at the time of the shootings and that proceeding was declared a mistrial Monday.