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    Pair plead not guilty to Stevie Wonder extortion

    Associated Press – Thu, Jul 26, 2012 2:52 PM EDT

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two people charged with extorting Stevie Wonder have pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles court.

    District attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison says Alpha L. Walker and Tamara Diaz entered the pleas Thursday and will return to court in the future for a pretrial hearing.

    It was the pair's first court appearance since a judge determined there was enough evidence for them to stand trial earlier this month.

    Walker is Wonder's cousin and is accused of trying to extort the Grammy-winning musician over a video that portrays Wonder negatively. Walker and Diaz, his girlfriend, were arrested in May after receiving $10,000 from Wonder's attorney in a police sting.

    Walker's attorney says his client simply made a movie about his life and his actions are protected by the First Amendment.

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