Pleau pleads not guilty in bank murder

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - The man accused of killing a gas station manager during a botched robbery outside a Woonsocket bank pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in federal court.

Jason Pleau is charged with the 2010 murder of David Main of Lincoln. Wednesday afternoon's arraignment marked his first appearance in federal court since his arrest.

Pleau was indicted on federal charges, which carry the possibility of the death penalty. However, Gov. Lincoln Chafee had refused to turn him over to federal prosecutors because Rhode Island does not have capital punishment.

When asked about Pleau's case Wednesday morning, Chafee pointed to the wrongful execution of an Irish immigrant in 1845.

"Connecticut just abolished capital punishment. Western Europe does not have capital punishment. So, civilized nations are getting away from that because of the mistakes that can be made," Chafee said. "Whether it was John Gordon or others, we just cannot have a state executing what might be innocent people."

Wednesday's arraignment in U.S. District Court was scheduled after a federal appeals court ruled against Governor Chafee, and said Pleau could be tried in federal court.

Chafee - who plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court - maintains the case is also a states' rights issue.

"Don't forget, they came to me originally and asked me to sign off on the release of Pleau," Chafee said. "They were coming to me. If you could take, just take him. Why do I have to sign off on the release? That's where it first started."

Jason Pleau is currently serving an 18-year sentence in Rhode Island for violating his probation in another case.