Bradley Scott Sayer, the 18-year-old man accused of killing two people at Chico’s public library, pleaded not guilty on Thursday.
Sayer faces two counts of murder in the June 22 deaths of 46-year-old Jacob Cody Hull of Chico and 74-year-old Robert Johnson of Orland.
The criminal complaint also includes firearm enhancements and a special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders.
Prosecutors have said they will seek life in prison without the possibility of parole rather than the death penalty.
Sayer is scheduled to return to Butte County Superior Court on Aug. 6, when a date for a preliminary hearing could be set.
A preliminary hearing is where a judge decides whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to proceed toward trial.
Thursday’s plea hearing was brief. Sayer spoke only to confirm his name and acknowledge his rights as a defendant.
Judge permits cameras despite prosecution's objection
Superior Court Judge Kristen Lucena allowed news photography in the courtroom despite objections from prosecutors, citing, in part, public trust in the judicial process.
District Attorney Mike Ramsey had asked the court to deny requests from local news organizations, citing conduct connected to Sayer’s initial court appearance on June 25.
At that hearing, Sayer appeared to make an “OK” hand sign at his waist as deputies led him into the courtroom. A Sacramento Bee pool photographer captured the gesture, and the image was widely distributed.
This time, Sayer was already seated at the defense table beside his attorney before reporters, photographers and the broader public entered the courtroom.
The “OK” gesture has multiple meanings, including ordinary ones signaling approval. It’s also been classified as a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League due to its adoption by some white supremacists. The gesture has also spread within online communities centered on mass killers, according to the organization.
Cody Zoschak, senior manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, previously told NSPR that the group reviewed Sayer’s apparent online activity. He said the organization believes his use of the gesture was a reference to Brenton Tarrant. Tarrant is a white supremacist who killed 51 Muslim worshippers in Christchurch, New Zealand, and made the same gesture during a 2019 court appearance.
Prosecutors have alleged that Sayer developed a fascination with online material about the Columbine High School massacre. The FBI has said Sayer wore a shirt with the words “natural selection” during the Chico shooting, an apparent reference to a shirt worn by one of the Columbine shooters.
X responds to legal request in shooting probe, prosecutors say
Ramsey also told the court Thursday that social media company X has now complied with a search warrant related to the investigation.
Prosecutors had said in filings that X had not responded to the warrant as of July 9. They asked the court to intervene, describing the request as important to the case.
Sayer remains in custody without bail.
