Man pleads not guilty to attempted murder charge

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- A 44-year-old man suspected of assaulting a Long

Beach woman in his apartment pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of

attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

Walter Cordell, who was arraigned at the Harbor Justice Center on

Thursday, was arrested Dec. 22 in front of a motel on Harbor Boulevard in

Costa Mesa.

Police began searching for Cordell after Laura Kirstein, 38, reported

on Dec. 20 that he had hit her several times with a wooden club.

“The victim is apparently very scared,” said Tori Richards,

spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office. “She had to get 50

stitches on the back of her head.”

Cordell has denied the accusations. Neither he nor his attorney were

available for comment Thursday.

Kirstein, who was present at the arraignment, said she does not know

why Cordell, whom she considered a good friend, attacked her.

Kirstein said she and her girlfriend were “exchanging Christmas

presents,” with Cordell in his Superior Avenue apartment.

“We were not fighting or arguing,” Kirstein said. “The attack came out

of nowhere. It was totally unexpected.”

Officials said after a brief struggle, Kirstein ran out the front

door. She walked to Hoag Hospital, where she was treated for cuts to her

head.

Cordell is being held in Orange County Jail, with bail set at

$500,000.