WHCD shooter Cole Allen pleads not guilty to all four federal charges

Cole Allen, the man accused of the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD) in April, has pleaded not guilty to all four federal charges in court. He was charged with attempting to assassinate the President, assaulting law enforcement, transporting a firearm across state lines to commit a felony, and discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. A Secret Service member had taken a shot to the chest during the shootout, which Allen had allegedly fired. If proven guilty, he could face life in prison.

According to a report in the New York Post, Allen and his legal counsel want U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to recuse themselves from the prosecution, as they were both present at the WHCD and were potential victims. Allen arrived at the courtroom in an orange jumpsuit, with his arms and legs shackled. He has been kept on suicide watch ever since he was taken into custody. Allen entered his plea before District Judge Trevor McFadden.

His defense attorney Eugene Ohm said to the Judge that Attorney Pirro and her "entire office" be removed from prosecuting the case as there was a "structural appearance of impropriety," given her role in the investigation. Blanche was in the same boat. Ohm said that it was "wholly inappropriate" for him or Pirro to "be making the primary prosecutorial decisions in the case." However, Judge McFadden said to Assistant DC US Attorney Charles Jones that he'd be out too if the motion were successful.

According to USA Today, a judge had apologized to Allen last week over the conditions he has been kept in since his arrest. His lawyers had written that Allen had been cleared as a suicide risk multiple times but had still been kept under suicide-preventive restrictions. As a result, he was not given access to his personal items, tablets, phone calls, non-legal visits, or dimmed lights. The judge reportedly grilled a jail official about the same and asked an explanation from the prosecution over keeping Allen in such restrictive conditions.

During the event on April 25, CCTV footage showed the shooter darting past security officials, who aimed their guns at him. A picture was later shared of Allen on the ground with his hands behind his back. He had even sent an email to his family, asking for their forgiveness, before carrying out his plan. Allen also questioned the poor security measures at the Washington Hilton hotel, which has become a major talking point since. Republican calls to expedite the construction of the East Wing ballroom have been amplified since the incident, with lawmakers citing national security concerns.