Special Circumstances Dropped in 2 Deaths

A judge on Thursday dismissed special circumstance allegations that could have resulted in the death penalty for a man charged with setting fire to three robbery victims, killing two of them, in January, 1989.

Los Angeles Municipal Judge Elva Soper said there was insufficient evidence for the special circumstance allegations to stand against Derek Jerome Bloodworth, 26. He had been charged with four special circumstance allegations: multiple murders and murder during a burglary, and a robbery during the course of an arson fire. Conviction on a first-degree murder charge plus any of the special allegations could have qualified Bloodworth for the death penalty.

Soper dismissed the allegations at the conclusion of Bloodworth’s preliminary hearing. She ordered him to stand trial on murder, attempted murder, burglary and arson charges.