Homeless Man Pleads Not Guilty to Killing Clerk Over a Sandwich

VALLEY VILLAGE, CA A homeless parolee pleaded not guilty today to murdering a Valley Village convenience store clerk and to trying to kill the clerk's girlfriend after allegedly trying to steal a sandwich and beer from the store.

Hasaan Blunt, 42, is charged with murder in the March 25 stabbing of Washi Uddin Ahmed, 55, of North Hollywood, along with the attempted murder of Ahmed's girlfriend, also a clerk at the 7-Eleven store at Laurel Canyon and Chandler boulevards.

The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery. Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek the death penalty against Blunt.

He also is charged with two felony counts of second-degree robbery and three misdemeanor counts of vandalism of vehicle tires with under $400 damage.

Blunt allegedly slashed the tires on three vehicles before going into the store, grabbed a sandwich and beer and walked out without paying, according to prosecutors.

Blunt allegedly stabbed the clerks after they chased him outside the store and confronted him, according to prosecutors.

The criminal complaint alleges that Blunt was convicted in 1998 of assault with a deadly weapon, battery causing serious injury and assault with a deadly weapon by a state prison inmate.

He is being held without bail and is due back in a Van Nuys courtroom June 21, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.

City News Service