Overview
- U.S. District Judge Amir Ali on Jan. 30 upheld a magistrate’s order that no release conditions can reasonably ensure community safety.
- Brian J. Cole Jr. has pleaded not guilty to charges tied to two devices placed near the DNC and RNC on Jan. 5, 2021, after a multiyear probe led to his Dec. 4 arrest.
- Prosecutors say Cole admitted attempting an act of political violence and described frustration over leaders’ responses to 2020 election questions.
- Defense attorneys argue the devices were not viable, cite Cole’s autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sought home detention with monitoring.
- Prosecutors contend he continued obtaining bomb-making materials through 2022 and that items were found at arrest; no trial date is set, with the next hearing on Feb. 27, and the charges carry potential sentences of up to 10 and 20 years, including a five-year mandatory minimum on one count.