Kentucky school shooter Michael Carneal loses bid to withdraw plea

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A man who killed three of his classmates at a Kentucky high school in 1997 has lost his bid to withdraw a guilty plea after a federal appeals court concluded he could have acted sooner to seek a new trial.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Thursday ruled that 29-year-old Michael Carneal was competent as early as 2004 and could have challenged the plea then.

Carneal shot at a school prayer meeting in Paducah, killing 17-year-old Jessica James, 15-year-old Kayce Steger and 14-year-old Nicole Hadley. Five others were wounded.