Lawyer: Murder suspect was not fleeing police

A Central Islip man charged with killing a Brentwood man was not fleeing from Suffolk police last week when he was arrested in North Carolina following a routine traffic stop, his attorney said Thursday.

Glenn Obedin of Central Islip, the attorney for Deighton Reed, 20, would not say why Reed was in another state last week while he was wanted in New York for questioning in the Dec. 30 death of Valentino Sanchez, 21.

Assistant District Attorney Denise Merrifield Thursday cited Reed's decision to leave New York as he was arraigned in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead following an indictment on charges of second-degree murder. Reed pleaded not guilty.

Judge Stephen Braslow ordered Reed held without bail.

Sanchez was killed by several shotgun blasts in his Brentwood apartment following an argument over a small amount of money and a television, prosecutors said.

"I have confidence that as more facts come out, it will become more clear what happened," Obedin said outside court.

Reed was stopped for a traffic violation Jan. 5 in LaGrange, N.C., about 100 miles southeast of Raleigh, Suffolk police said. North Carolina police arrested him after learning he was the subject of a national alert sent out by Suffolk police.

Reed was flown back to Long Island after waiving his right to contest his extradition.

Reed was on probation when he was arrested, Merrifield said. He pleaded guilty in August to a misdemeanor larceny charge and was awaiting sentencing, according to online court documents.