White House correspondents’ dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen pleads not guilty

Cole Allen, 31, appeared in court wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and restraints around his waist. He did not speak during the short hearing. His lawyer, Tezira Abe, entered the not guilty plea on his behalf, reported Reuters.

Details of case

Federal prosecutors charged Allen with attempted assassination of the president, assault on a federal officer, and multiple firearms offenses. Authorities allege Allen tried to carry out an attack during the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner held on April 25 at the Washington Hilton hotel.

According to prosecutors, Allen traveled from California to Washington by train while carrying a shotgun, a pistol, and several knives. Investigators say he booked a room at the same hotel where the dinner took place.

Prosecutors allege Allen fired a shotgun at a US Secret Service agent and forced his way toward a security checkpoint during what authorities described as a failed attack targeting Trump and senior members of his administration, reported Reuters.

The hearing marked Allen’s first appearance before Trevor McFadden, the federal judge expected to oversee the rest of the criminal case.

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is one of Washington’s biggest annual gatherings and usually includes senior government officials, journalists, and celebrities.

A separate judge last week apologized to Allen over conditions inside a Washington DC, jail where he was held after his arrest. Court records showed Allen was placed under suicide watch and kept separated from other inmates.

Allen’s defense team plans to seek the removal of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Washington’ top federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro from the prosecution.

Allen’s lawyer, Eugene Ohm, said that both officials attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and could have been among the alleged targets in the attack.

Ohm also said the defense may ask for the entire US Attorney’s Office in Washington to step away from the case because Pirro leads the office and has a long friendship with Trump. “It is wholly inappropriate for victims of an alleged event like this to be individually prosecuting the case,” Ohm told the court.

Federal prosecutors are expected to respond to the defense filing by May 22. Pirro earlier defended her role in the case during an interview with CNN. She said, “My ability to prosecute this case has nothing to do with my being there.”