In brief
U.S. District Judge Amir Ali has ruled that Brian J. Cole Jr. must stay in custody before his trial on charges related to placing pipe bombs near the RNC and DNC headquarters before the January 6 Capitol attack. Prosecutors argued that Cole planned these actions over weeks and deemed him a danger to the public. His defense attorneys argued the devices were not viable explosives and sought home detention instead.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has refused to order the pretrial release of a man charged with placing two pipe bombs near the national headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties on the eve of a mob’s January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled on Thursday that Brian J. Cole Jr. must remain in jail while awaiting trial, upholding a decision made by U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh, who stated that there are no conditions under which Cole can be released without posing a danger to public safety.
Cole, 30, pleaded not guilty to making and planting two pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night of January 5, 2021. He has been incarcerated since his December 4 arrest.
Authorities utilized phone records and various pieces of evidence to confirm his involvement in a crime that had eluded the FBI for over four years.
Prosecutors revealed that Cole admitted his intention to carry out 'an extraordinary act of political violence' due to his dissatisfaction with both parties' responses to voting issues surrounding the 2020 presidential election, claiming 'something just snapped.'
While defense attorneys argued for his release on home detention with electronic monitoring, they emphasized that an expert found that the devices were not viable as explosives. However, federal prosecutors argued that Cole’s actions were a product of premeditated planning intended to evoke fear and terror among the public.
If convicted, Cole could face significant prison time, including up to ten years for one charge and a maximum of twenty years for another, which includes a mandatory minimum five-year sentence.
