Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the April 25 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, pleaded not guilty May 11 to all federal charges in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
Allen, 31, appeared in court handcuffed and shackled and wearing an orange jail uniform. Reuters reported that he did not speak and federal public defender Tezira Abe entered the not-guilty plea on his behalf.
Prosecutors allege that Allen, armed with firearms and multiple knives, rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton during the high-profile dinner. Investigators said Allen fired a shot that struck a Secret Service agent’s bullet-resistant vest, wounding the agent.
He was initially charged with three crimes: attempting to assassinate the president, transporting a firearm across state lines, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. On May 5, a federal grand jury indicted him on a new charge of assaulting an officer or employee of the U.S. with a deadly weapon.
If convicted on the assassination charge alone, Allen faces up to life in prison.
Meanwhile, Allen’s attorneys are seeking to disqualify senior Justice Department officials from the case, including Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, arguing that they were present at the dinner and could be considered potential victims or witnesses, CBS News reported. Defense attorney Eugene Ohm told the court that it would be “wholly inappropriate” for officials who have publicly described themselves as victims of the attack to help oversee the prosecution.
Prosecutors are expected to respond to the defense motion by May 22.