Cole Allen enters a plea of not guilty regarding charges of attempted assassination of Trump
Cole Allen refutes the assassination charges against Trump, following accusations from prosecutors that he assaulted security personnel during a gala event in Washington.
A man from California, charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump during a White House correspondents dinner, has entered a not guilty plea to all charges.
Cole Allen, 31, made no plea during his court appearance in Washington, DC, on Monday. Tezira Abe, his lawyer, submitted the plea for him.
Allen is facing charges that include attempted assassination of the president, assault on a federal officer, and firearms offenses.
Prosecutors claimed that Allen discharged a shotgun at a US Secret Service agent and breached a security checkpoint in an attempted assault aimed at Trump and his administration during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25.
Authorities reported that Allen journeyed from California to Washington by train, bringing along a shotgun, a pistol, and knives, before reserving a room at the Washington Hilton, the venue for the event.
Defense attorneys requested that US District Judge Trevor McFadden exclude a minimum of two high-ranking officials from the Justice Department from the prosecution, citing their attendance at the dinner and their potential status as victims or witnesses.
Prosecutors stated that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and US Attorney Jeanine Pirro were both in attendance at the event when Allen reportedly breached security and discharged his weapon.
Eugene Ohm, representing Allen, contended that Pirro’s office ought to recuse itself from the case due to her friendship with Trump and her attendance at the dinner.
“It is entirely unsuitable for victims of an alleged incident such as this to be pursuing the case on an individual basis,” Ohm stated.
Judge McFadden refrained from making an immediate ruling on the request, instead asking the defense attorneys to specify the extent to which they sought the recusal to be applied.
Allen made his first court appearance before McFadden, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and secured with waist restraints.
Last week, another judge expressed regret to Allen regarding his treatment at a Washington jail, where he was subjected to suicide precautions and kept separate from other inmates.
Defense attorneys stated that Allen was placed in a padded room with continuous lighting, subjected to frequent strip searches, and restrained outside of his cell.
A prosecutor from the Justice Department stated that Allen reportedly informed FBI agents he did not anticipate surviving the attack, a claim that officials contended warranted the implementation of suicide watch measures.
Allen is scheduled to return to court on June 29.
If found guilty of the attempted assassination charge alone, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
