Deputy denies charge for bringing gun to court

INDIO -- A San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy pleaded not guilty today to charges that he illegally possessed a gun last month in a courtroom here.

Richard Heverly, 43, is charged with a felony for allegedly coming to court in full uniform, with his service weapon, on his trial date for a different criminal case.

In the other case, Heverly, of La Verne, is charged with four felonies for allegedly holding a gun to a man's head and threatening to kill him while off duty.

The law allows law enforcement officers to bring their service weapons to court, but the practice is illegal if an officer is appearing for his own criminal case, according to Riverside County prosecutors.