Morgan Freeman's late step-granddaughter's boyfriend has pled not guilty to her murder.

Lamar Davenport, who was charged with one count of murder in the second degree last month after E'Dena Hines' body was found in her New York City apartment, formally denied being responsible for her death when he appeared in court in Manhattan on Tuesday (22.09.19).

But prosecutors told the judge witnesses saw the 30-year-old suspect, who has been on psychiatric hold since E'Dena's death on August 16, on top of her in the middle of the street on the same day she died from 25 stab wounds, according to gossip website TMZ.com.

The District Attorney (D.A.) also stated the knife was still in the 33-year-old aspiring actress' chest when police arrived at the scene.

While she had a role in Morgan's 2014 movie '5 Flights Up', E'Dena, who was the granddaughter of the star's first wife, never relied on him to help her achieve her dreams of stardom.

Writer and theatre director Carl Hancock Rux recently said: ''E'Dena was incredibly self-sufficient, vocal and incredibly talented.

''She was not the type of person who relied on her grandfather to cast her or book her shows. She was starting from scratch just like everyone else.''

Morgan, 78, expressed his sorrow shortly after news of her death broke, saying: ''The world will never know her artistry and talent, and how much she had to offer.''