Ref pleads not guilty to murdering husband

The U.S. Open referee accused of killing her husband pleaded not guilty Wednesday and had some help from her daughters to make her case.

Lois Goodman, 70,was held on $500,000 bail following the hearing, the Los Angeles district attorney's office said. Goodman, who was arrested in Manhattan last week while she was preparing to officiate the tennis tournament,was indicted for the murder of Alan Goodman, 80, in April.

Police say the ref beat her spouse to death with a coffee mug inside their home.

Goodman's daughters, Allison Goodman Rogers and Joan Goodman, wrote letters to the judge insisting that their mother was a good person and asked for a lower bail, prosecutors said.