Former Canadian Football League player charged with murder

A former CFL football player accused of killing his girlfriend to prevent her from testifying in a child abuse case pleaded not guilty to murder charges in Chowchilla, Calif., on Wednesday.
Police said James Curry, 49, called authorities Friday to report the attempted suicide of girlfriend Jennifer Flores, 30.
But officials later ruled her death a murder.
Police Chief Jay Varney said Flores was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head in the couple's home.
Authorities believe Curry, a former standout with the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders, killed Flores because she was a witness in an unrelated case charging him with corporal punishment of a child.
He has pleaded not guilty in that case.


Curry's sister, Norma Serrano, insisted he is innocent and was devoted to Flores, with whom he owned a local pizzeria.
"James loved Jennifer, he loved his kids, she loved him," Serrano said. "He did everything for them, everything."
Curry, whose bail was set at $1 million US, told the Madera County judge Wednesday he didn't know if he could afford a lawyer, so the judge said he would assign him a public defender.