WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ Lawyers are preparing closing arguments in a preliminary hearing for the leader of a Kansas commune that lived lavish lifestyles off life insurance payouts for its dead members.
Prosecutors must convince a Sedgwick County judge Thursday that they presented enough evidence last week to justify putting Daniel U. Perez on trial. The 52-year-old man is charged with premeditated murder of a woman whose 2003 death was initially believed to be an accidental drowning.
Perez also faces more than 30 other counts including lying on life insurance applications, rape, sodomy and sexual exploitation of a child.
Judges typically hold defendants over for trial at such preliminary proceedings. Perez would then be formally arraigned on the charges and enter his pleas.
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