Montana trial date set in German teenager’s death

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana judge has tentatively set a Jan. 5 trial date for a 24-year-old Missoula man charged with shooting and killing a German exchange student in his garage.

District Judge Ed McLean said Wednesday Markus Kaarma’s deliberate homicide trial could be moved to December if a larger courtroom became available sooner.

Kaarma is charged with shooting 17-year-old Diren Dede in April. Kaarma argues the shooting was in self-defense because Dede was in his garage.

The judge also told defense attorney Paul Ryan he should reconsider his firm’s announced plan to host a community viewing of the World Cup soccer match between the United States and Germany on Thursday, saying it was not the time to conduct a public relations campaign.

Dede was an avid soccer player.

After the hearing, Ryan announced he was canceling the viewing party.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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