A San Francisco man arrested this week in connection with a robbery-related murder last year in North Beach appeared in San Francisco Superior Court this morning.
Charles Heard, 25, who is being held in lieu of $5 million bail, appeared in court this morning on charges of murder, robbery and weapons possession but his arraignment was postponed as his attorney, Eric Safire, begins to review evidence in the case. He is due back in court Aug. 5.
The victim, Richard Barrett, 29, was found shot to death outside the Fuse bar near Broadway and Kearny streets at about 1 a.m. on Nov. 25, according to police. Witnesses described two suspects in the killing.
Missing from Barrett was an elaborate jeweled necklace depicting the Flintstones baby character Bamm-Bamm, police and prosecutors said.
Heard was arrested for Barrett’s murder Monday afternoon on a warrant from the district attorney’s office. No other arrests have been made in the case.
Heard will plead not guilty to the charges, Safire said after today’s hearing.
Safire said Heard was born and raised in San Francisco and is married.
“He’s been in and out of trouble,” Safire acknowledged.
Heard has a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was arrested Monday while reporting to his parole officer, Safire said.
Though he has yet to review all the evidence against his client, Safire said there were reportedly two eyewitnesses to Barrett’s killing, and questioned why it would have taken all this time to make an arrest.
“It just seems strange that an eyewitness case would not be charged in nine months,” he said.
