There's enough evidence to try father, judge says

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- A judge ruled Monday that there is enough evidence to try a man accused of killing nine of his children, although defense lawyers suggested the suspect's oldest daughter shot her siblings before killing herself and leaving the bodies in a bloody pile.
Marcus Wesson, 57, has pleaded innocent to charges he murdered his 25-year-old daughter and eight of his other children ranging in age from 1 to 17. Wesson also faces charges of sexual abuse.
Police say he committed the slayings himself. But during Monday's hearing, Ralph Torres, a lawyer for Wesson, asked a Fresno homicide detective about the "suicide pact" police have alleged Wesson had with his children. As part of the reported plan, the children would kill each other -- oldest to youngest -- should authorities ever try to break apart the family.
Detective Michele Ochoa testified that, according to her interview with Sofina Solorio, one of Wesson's nieces with whom he had fathered a child, the suicide plan was referred to within the family as a "religious belief."