FEBRUARY 17, 2023:
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) — A farmworker charged with killing seven people last month in back-to-back shootings at two Northern California mushroom farms has pleaded not guilty. Chunli Zhao is charged with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The Mercury News reports Zhao appeared Thursday (Feb. 16, 2023) behind a glass partition in the courtroom with his head bowed and spoke only when a Mandarin translator relayed questions from the judge. At a hearing last week, Zhao sobbed so loudly that the judge called for a brief recess. Zhao admitted to the shootings during a jailhouse media interview days after the shooting.
JANUARY 26, 2023:
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — A farmworker accused of killing seven people in shootings at two Northern California mushroom farms has been charged with seven counts of murder. Prosecutors filed the charges Wednesday (Jan. 25, 2023). A court appearance for 66-year-old Chunli Zhao was postponed until Feb. 16. His two attorneys did not immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment. Authorities say he killed four people at a mushroom farm in Half Moon Bay where he worked and three more at a nearby farm where he used to work. The charges include allegations that could result in the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
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