Overview
- Federal prosecutors and a D.C. judge disclosed Thursday that Rahmanullah Lakanwal was rushed overnight to George Washington University Hospital after refusing food and, at times, water while in pretrial custody.
- U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered that prosecutors may review Lakanwal’s sealed medical records from the recent hospitalization to guide medical decisions and next legal steps.
- Lakanwal faces a 17‑count federal indictment that includes murder and firearms charges; he has pleaded not guilty and remains under a Justice Department Capital Case Committee review over whether to seek the death penalty.
- The U.S. Marshals Service warned prosecutors in June that Lakanwal’s prolonged refusal to eat put him at risk of long‑term harm or death, and courts have previously permitted involuntary feeding to preserve life in similar custody cases.
- Lakanwal is accused of the Nov. 26, 2025 ambush that killed Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, his case raises questions about detention health care, the timing of pretrial proceedings, and how medical status could affect prosecutors’ capital decisions.