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In Pinellas, Man Pleads Not Guilty In Wife's Slaying

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By MARK  DOUGLAS | News Channel 8

Published: December 1, 2008

Updated: 12/01/2008 01:47 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - Robert Glenn Temple has pleaded not guilty in the death of his wife, Rosemary Christensen.

Temple was scheduled to appear in court to be arraigned this afternoon, but the Pinellas County Public Defender's Office, which is representing him, entered a written not-guilty plea on his behalf, and Temple made no court appearance.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Dec. 24, according to court documents.

Prosecutors say Temple stabbed Christensen to death nine years ago in the condo they shared and buried her near the Suwannee River with the help of a 22-year old woman who was his girlfriend, Leslie Stewart.

In September, Stewart led detectives and prosecutors to the grave after telling them she helped bury Christensen's body near wooded property owned by her father in Gilchrist County. Christensen disappeared Aug. 30, 1999.

Police arrested Temple, 58, in Shasta County, Calif., on an assault charge and later added the Florida murder charge.

In a jailhouse interview with a reporter after his extradition, Temple said he didn't kill his wife but did help clean up the crime scene and hide her body.

He said Stewart told him she accidentally killed Christensen during a struggle when he was out buying beer and cigarettes.

Temple is being held without bail at Pinellas County Jail and is awaiting trial on a charge of murder. Stewart has been given immunity by prosecutors in return for her testimony.

Tribune reporter Stephen Thompson contributed to this report. Reporter Mark Douglas can be reached at (727) 709-2753 or mdouglas@nwfla.com.

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