Alleged O.C. Homeless Serial Killer Appears in Court

In his first court appearance since being charged with the "thrill killings" of four homeless men, Itzcoatl Ocampo postponed his plea Wednesday after his lawyer told the judge he hadn't had a chance to speak extensively with his client.

A new hearing was set for Feb. 17.

Meanwhile, authorities revealed Ocampo, a 23-year-old ex-Marine, was being kept in a "protective gown'' -- also known as a "suicide blanket'' -- in an isolation cell of the jail medical ward where he is monitored around the clock.

Defense attorney Randall Longwith told reporters after Wednesday's hearing that he had been given less than a minute to talk with his client since Friday's arrest.

"I had no basis for a plea at this point,'' Longwith said.

Ocampo was charged Tuesday with four counts of murder in the killing spree that began Dec. 20 and ended Friday, when the suspect was chased down by witnesses and arrested.

Ocampo, who bounced his knee nervously during part of the hearing, will undergo a mental evaluation today.

Longwith said sheriff's officials have prevented him and the defendant's family from visiting Ocampo. The defense attorney obtained a court order Tuesday forcing sheriff's officials to allow him to meet with his client, he said.

Ocampo had a "distanced'' look in his eyes when he spoke through the small slot of the cell where food is passed, Longwith said. But the attorney did not know if that was because Ocampo was on medication.

"He looks frightened in there, starry-eyed,'' Longwith said.

Longwith said he has been advised that Ocampo has "been sleeping most of the time'' in custody.

Just a few hours later in Long Beach, Police Chief Jim McDonnell and Mayor Bob Foster were poised to announce arrests in the shooting slayings of five homeless people in a freeway encampment more than three years ago.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas told reporters Ocampo "appears to be lucid, calm, intelligent.''

Rackauckas appeared at the hearing, along with the prosecutor on the case, Deputy District Attorney Susan Price. He later told reporters he would expect an insanity defense because there is ``strong evidence'' against Ocampo.

Making a case that Ocampo suffered post-traumatic stress disorder because of his time in the military will be a tough defense to mount, Rackauckas predicted.

"That's not going to fly as a defense,'' Rackauckas said, adding he suspects Ocampo was a ``thrill killer" who "wants to kill people just because he wants to.''

Rackauckas acknowledged reports that Ocampo was generous to the homeless. "We see this sort of behavior in other aspects of his life. He seems like a pretty good guy,'' Rackauckas said. "But this is a serious, vicious killer.''

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