Suspect arraigned in Boston student's 2008 slaying
BOSTON—The suspect in the May 2008 slaying of a Northeastern University student has pleaded not guilty.
Cornell Smith was arraigned Monday before a Suffolk Superior Court magistrate judge while Rebecca Payne's parents sat in the courtroom's front row clutching photos of their daughter.
The Connecticut couple said the suspect didn't appear remorseful and seeing him was heart-wrenching.
A prosecutor told the judge that the 22-year-old New Milford, Conn. woman's slaying was a case of mistaken identity, with the suspect shooting her after thinking she was another resident of her Boston building.
The 30-year-old Smith is already serving an unrelated 12-year drug sentence in federal prison. A grand jury indicted him in Payne's slaying in April.
Payne had just finished her junior year and was studying to be an athletic trainer.
