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.
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He responded, “Yes, I do,” when US Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach asked whether he understood the nature of the charges against him. He could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Michael Sandford, from Britain, is accused of trying to take a police officer's gun to kill Donald Trump at a June 18 rally in Las Vegas. Photo: AP
His attorneys, Brenda Weksler and Ryan Norwood, declined to comment outside court.
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Sandford has been in custody since his arrest June 18 at the rally at the Treasure Island hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
