Suspect in German student death had criminal past

MISSOULA (AP) — A man charged with shooting and killing a German exchange student in his garage has a criminal record in Seattle and Missoula.

Court records show Markus Kaarma pleaded guilty in 2003 to an assault charge in Seattle Municipal Court and received a deferred sentence. Kaarma was also charged with two criminal offences in Missoula Municipal Court in 2005, according to The Missoulian (http://bit.ly/1A8dGMS ). Court officials have refused to release records for those cases.

One of Kaarma's attorneys previously filed a motion to seal pretrial proceedings to conceal Kaarma's past records. The motion was granted.

Kaarma is accused in the April 27 death of 17-year-old Diren Dede, who was from Hamburg. Prosecutors allege Kaarma and his girlfriend were frustrated over recent burglaries and set up motion sensors and video cameras to try to catch the thieves.

Kaarma has pleaded not guilty to deliberate homicide. His trial is scheduled for December.

Paul Ryan, Kaarma's attorney, said because pretrial proceedings have been sealed he is prohibited from commenting on Kaarma's past.

"The judge made a ruling on any prior bad acts and he did this in a sealed hearing," Ryan said. "He precluded either side from having comment on it or about talking about certain evidence in the trial."