Not guilty plea for man charged in LA store standoff death

A man charged with the death of woman killed during a Los Angeles store standoff has pleaded not guilty to murder.

City News Service reports a judge entered the plea for 28-year-old Gene Atkins, who's representing himself on 51 counts of murder, attempted murder and hostage-taking.

Atkins pleaded insanity but the Los Angeles judge disallowed it, telling Atkins he'd been found competent enough to be his own attorney.

Prosecutors say Atkins tried to kill his grandmother and kidnapped his girlfriend in July before ending a police chase with a shootout and holing up inside a Trader Joe's store in the Silver Lake neighborhood.

Authorities said during the gun battle, a police bullet killed an assistant manager 27-year-old Melyda Corado. Atkins allegedly held dozens of people hostage before surrendering hours later.