An arraignment for the man accused of killing an Arvada police officer last September has been rescheduled to March 31.

A public defender for Sonny Almanza, 31, said in a brief hearing Friday that Almanza expects to hire private attorneys for his case. Judge Russell Klein agreed to defense attorneys’ request to delay the arraignment — at which Almanza is expected to enter a plea — for two weeks.

“I think it is safe to say that we are frustrated at yet another delay, but at this point we are not objecting,” prosecutor Tracy Schroeder told Klein.

Frantic calls, panicked screams: Details emerge in court about killing of Arvada officer

Almanza faces nine charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Dillon Vakoff, 27, on Sept. 11.

Vakoff and another officer had responded to a fight between Almanza’s family, the mother of his children, and her family members. Almanza has claimed he fired a “warning” shot into the air, before a second shot that hit his ex-partner’s sister, according to testimony from Detective Julie Glynn during a probable cause hearing in January.

Vakoff fired two shots in return, and Almanza claimed he began firing again in response, according to testimony. He said he did not know he had shot at an officer, according to testimony.

Several shots hit Vakoff. He died from a shot that severed his cervical spinal cord.

The charges Almanza faces include first-degree murder of a peace officer; first-degree murder with extreme indifference; attempted murder with extreme indifference; second-degree assault against his ex-girlfriend’s sister, Mercedes Lopez; possession of a weapon by a previous offender; and possession of a banned high-capacity magazine. He has a previous conviction for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

Arvada police officer died breaking up a violent child custody dispute, arrest warrant says