Minnesota Lawmaker Assassination Case: Suspect Vance Boelter Pleads Not Guilty in Federal Court
Minnesota Lawmaker Assassination Case: Suspect Vance Boelter Pleads Not Guilty in Federal Court
Vance Luther Boelter, 58, of Green Isle, Minnesota, has pleaded not guilty to multiple federal charges related to the June assassination of Minnesota’s House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as the attempted murder of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Boelter appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster on Thursday, waiving the reading of his six-count indictment.
The plea comes after a two-day manhunt following the June 14 shootings in New Hope, Minnesota. Federal prosecutors, including Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson, have stated that Boelter planned and carried out the targeted political attacks, describing them as unprecedented in Minnesota’s history. During the alleged assaults, Boelter is accused of impersonating a police officer, wearing a silicone mask, and driving an SUV with a ‘Police’ license plate.
Two of the federal charges carry the possibility of the death penalty, though prosecutors have yet to decide whether to pursue a capital sentence, which would require approval from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Boelter also faces state charges, including two counts of second-degree intentional murder and two counts of second-degree attempted intentional murder. His state case is currently paused pending the resolution of federal proceedings.
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