British man pleads not guilty in alleged Trump assassination plot
A British citizen pleaded not guilty Wednesday to US federal charges alleging he tried to grab a police officer’s gun to shoot presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a Las Vegas campaign rally.
A judge set an August 22 trial date for Michael Steven Sandford, 20, on charges of disrupting an official function and two firearm possession counts.
Sandford stood wearing a yellow jail jump suit with his federal public defence attorneys during his brief arraignment.
His attorneys, Brenda Weksler and Ryan Norwood, declined to comment outside court.
Sandford has been in custody since his arrest June 18 at the rally at the Treasure Island hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Another magistrate judge acknowledged during Sandford’s first court appearance on June 20 that his mental health may be an issue. A federal public defender representing him at that time said Sandford previously attempted suicide and once ran away from a hospital in England, but that he was competent for court proceedings.
His father reported that he moved to New Jersey a year and a half ago.
US federal agents say Sandford told them he drove from San Bernardino, California, to Las Vegas where he practised shooting at a gun range the day before Trump’s appearance.
The Secret Service says Sandford grabbed at the Las Vegas police officer’s gun before he was handcuffed and ushered in custody out of the 1,500-seat theatre.
Trump, on stage, didn’t appear to know what happened.
Sandford also is accused of overstaying his US entry visa by about nine months. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities said they plan to take action on the immigration violation if he’s released from jail.
