Washington correspondents' dinner shooting suspect pleads not guilty

Reuters

A man charged with attacking the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC last month has pleaded not guilty.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was charged with federal gun crimes and attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump.

The gun charges include using a firearm during a crime of violence and interstate transportation of a firearm with intent to commit a felony.

Allen appeared in court on Monday in an orange jumpsuit and was shackled at the wrists and feet, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

Prosecutors allege that Allen attempted to storm past a security checkpoint and fired a shot at a US Secret Service agent at the event at a Washington Hilton hotel. The federal agent was hit in an exchange of gunfire but was saved by his bullet-proof vest.

Agents tackled Allen just short of a staircase that leads down to a ballroom where the annual White House Correspondents' dinner - attended by journalists, Trump, and many top US officials - was getting under way.

Allen's appearance in court was his first time standing before US District Judge Trevor McFadden, who will preside over the remainder of the case.

His lawyers have requested Judge McFadden to disqualify US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro and Todd Blanche from participating in the case, according to CBS News.

Eugene Ohm, a lawyer representing Allen, said they had presented themselves as victims of the attack in public statements and that it would be "wholly inappropriate" for the pair to be directing the prosecution of this case.