Overview
- A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment that includes attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, transporting a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a gun during a crime of violence.
- At a Monday hearing, Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui apologized to Allen and said he had grave concerns about his confinement in a padded safe cell with constant lighting, five-point restraints, and blocked access to phone calls and a Bible, and the U.S. Attorney later criticized the judge’s stance online.
- Jail officials said a psychiatrist deemed Allen a suicide risk based on his statement that he did not expect to survive the attack, then removed him from suicide status over the weekend and placed him in protective custody.
- Prosecutors cite surveillance video, a hotel-room selfie, and forensic tests that they say link a buckshot pellet from Allen’s Mossberg shotgun to a Secret Service agent’s vest, and report that the agent was struck but not injured and the president was unharmed.
- The judge ordered the D.C. jail to explain its housing decision, defense access to counsel has been expanded after earlier limits on private meetings, and a May 11 court date remains set as Allen faces a potential life sentence.