Malibu News
Man Arraigned For Shooting Neighbor
By Katherine Noland
Feb 12, 2013 - 9:27:21 PM

MALIBU—A man was arraigned on Wednesday, February 5 for charges of attempted murder and assault after allegedly shooting his neighbor in January.

Patrick Kearns Leach, 27, pled not guilty to the charges filed against him at the Van Nuys Superior Court last Wednesday, and is free on a $1 million bail. His preliminary hearing is set for March 18 where the judge will determine if there is enough evidence for the charges filed against him.

Police found the 49-year-old victim with a shot wound in his chest on the shared driveway of both the victim and the defendant on the morning of January 9. The two reside on West Winding Way in the hills of Malibu. According to witnesses, after the shooting took place, Leach fled the scene in his black SUV. Police soon located the suspect and arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder.

If convicted, Leach faces up to the maximum of life in prison with the possibility of parole.