Judge delays trial for White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting suspect

A federal judge presiding over the case for the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting suspect delayed the start of the trial on Monday.

Both parties and the court agreed to toll the speedy trial clock by 45 days, meaning the countdown timer within which federal prosecutors must bring Cole Allen to trial is paused. The decision was made due to extensive discovery in the high-profile criminal case.

Prosecutors have said there will be “thousands of pages and gigabytes of data” produced to the defendant in discovery, given that the scope of his alleged crime stemmed from his home state of California to Washington, D.C.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, scheduled the next hearing for Aug. 20. McFadden expects to set a trial date during the upcoming hearing.

The development comes two months after Allen allegedly attempted to assassinate Trump and other administration officials during the annual WHCA dinner at the Washington Hilton. Moments after rushing through security and firing at a Secret Service agent, he was apprehended by law enforcement. The agent, who wore a bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting, survived.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance in California, was apprehended by police after trying to storm the Washington Hilton, and is in custody. (Donald Trump / Truth Social)

Allen faces federal charges of attempted assassination of the president, assaulting a federal law enforcement officer, and firearms offenses. He pleaded not guilty to the charges last month.

Last week, McFadden denied the defendant’s motion to disqualify acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro from prosecuting the case. Allen’s attorneys argued Blanche and Pirro posed a conflict of interest, considering both attended the April 26 press dinner event. The Trump-appointed judge rejected that argument.

“Neither Blanche nor Pirro is a victim of Allen’s alleged crimes,” McFadden wrote in an 18-page decision. “Allen stands accused of attempting to assassinate the President, assaulting a United States officer with a deadly weapon, and committing two firearm offenses.”

JUDGE REJECTS ACCUSED WHCA DINNER SHOOTER’S BID TO DISQUALIFY BLANCHE AND PIRRO

The federal government has not offered a plea deal to Allen yet. The defense lawyers indicated they’re open to a deal.

Monday’s court hearing only lasted about five minutes.

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