Man Jumped Off Cliff to Avoid Murder Charges

The man who jumped off a cliff last month in an effort to avoid capture pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife this week.

Even though he is still in recovery from his escape attempt David Robert Viens, 47, was wheeled into a courtroom this week to enter his plea of not guilty. He was ordered to remain in jail by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Upinder S. Kalra in lieu of $1 million bail.

On the surface this seems like an open-and-shut case since Viens reportedly incriminated himself when speaking with detectives about his wife's disappearance. As a result he has been accused of the murder of his wife between Oct. 18 and Oct. 20 back in 2009. In response to his cliff jump, Viens tried to convince the detectives that he had just gotten into a fight with his current girlfriend.

Since his wife was reported missing Viens has been under surveillance by detectives hoping to crack the case. Her last known whereabouts was his restaurant, the Thyme Contemporary Cafe, on Narbonne Avenue.

If you've been charged with a felony like murder, contact Schwartz & Naderi to set up a consultation with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.