The lawyer for a California man accused of stabbing two casino nightclub security guards asked for a delay in proceedings Monday until he receives a videotape of the incident.
Dirk L. Manoukian asked District Judge Michael Gibbons to postpone until April 10 an arraignment for his client, Justin M. Ready, 25, of San Francisco.
Ready was charged with six felonies in connection with the Nov. 27, 2005, stabbing at Club Altitude at Harrah's Lake Tahoe.
Manoukian indicated Monday his client is to plead not guilty to the charges and would seek a trial.
Ready is accused of stabbing two security guards with a small folding knife when they attempted to eject him from the nightclub for being on the DJ stage.
Ready is a Bay area disc jockey known as MC Fader.
He has been in Douglas County Jail on $200,000 bail.
He is charged with two counts of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon and four counts of battery with a deadly weapon.
Manoukian, of Concord, Calif., asked for the delay pending receipt of a better video of the incident.
"The copies are very poor. The District Attorney's investigator is getting better quality tape to bring to the investigation. Ultimately, we will be asking for a trial date. Mr. Ready is prepared to wait for his arraignment," Manoukian said.
Manoukian said he hopes the tape will clarify the involvement of people who may be called as witnesses at trial.
Prosecutor Dina Salvucci said she expected the trial to last a week, but Manoukian said he thought the proceeding may take longer.
Gibbons postponed the arraignment until April 10 at which time Ready is to enter a plea. If he pleads not guilty, a trial date will be set.
