Homicide victim Antonino Isnit. FAMILY PHOTO
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Bail has been denied, at least for now, to a suspected robber who killed a Filipino-American worker of a local Walgreen’s pharmacy a day after Christmas.
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Joseph Sciscento has set another bail hearing on January 21 on defense attorney Tom Pitaro’s petition to allow the suspect, Jin William Young Ackerman II, to be free pending trial.
Pitaro argued that the 25-year-old Ackerman is not a flight risk and should be set free. He added that his client has no criminal record and plans to plead not guilty to charges against him.
In the meantime, Sciscento ordered Ackerman to remain in county jail, pending the second bail hearing.
A preliminary hearing has been set for February 3 to determine if there’s enough evidence for Ackerman to stand trial in state court for the death of 58-year-old Antonino Isnit.
He is charged with murder with a deadly weapon, four counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, four counts of kidnapping with a deadly weapon and two counts of burglary with a deadly weapon.
Prosecutors say they may seek the death penalty.
A security video showed Ackerman at the store during the December 26 robbery, police said.
Initial police investigation showed that Ackerman robbed the store, a Walgreens pharmacy on Cheyenne Avenue and Durango Drive during the early morning hours.
Isnit, who was working the graveyard shift, reportedly knew the robber, who worked at the store before.
Another employee, a female, was forced to open the store’s safe, but was not hurt. Ackerman shot Isnit “because he knows me,” according to police reports.
Detectives who arrived at the scene found 11 9mm shell casings near Isnit’s body.
Ackerman, who reportedly was fired in another Walgreens store in 2013, took between $5,000 and $7,000 in cash, police reports said.
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