ML man pleads not guilty to manslaughter

James Castro's trial scheduled to start July 7

James Castro, who is accused of killing a Moses Lake man after an altercation in a Moses Lake bar in April, pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter charges in Grant County Superior Court Tuesday morning.

Castro's trial date is set for July 7. He is being held on a $50,000 bail in Grant County Jail.

Castro, 25, was charged for the death of 26-year-old Leroy Guillen. According to Moses Lake police reports, the two had allegedly an altercation on April 4 where Guillen lost consciousness and was taken to a local hospital.

Castro was questioned at the scene and released that night, according to police records.

A week later, Guillen's condition worsened, and he died in a Spokane hospital from head injuries, according to a police report. Since thattime, Moses Lake police were unable to locate Castro until he was captured and arrested last week.

Castro is being held on a bail of $50,000. At the arraignment, Ted Mahr, Castro's court-appointed public defender, requested Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz to drop the bail to $25,000.

Mahr said Castro has a family, four children and a job waiting for him, which is why he requested the drop in bail.

Grant County Prosecutor John Knodell disagreed, saying Castro has a "substantial" criminal history, including convictions for first-degree theft, second-degree assault and four gross misdemeanors.

Castro was also charged with bail jumping in 2001 and avoided arrest in this case, which was why Knodell recommended the bail remain the same.

Antosz agreed and set the bail at $50,000.