The man accused of ruthlessly killing two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, DC, earlier this year, chanting pro-Palestine slogans during his arrest, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to the nine charges against him, some of which could carry the death penalty.
The federal indictment against Elias Rodriguez, who prosecutors say shot and killed Israeli Embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside of an American Jewish Committee event in May, includes counts of premeditated murder and hate crimes resulting in death.
During Thursday’s hearing, Judge Randolph Moss and Rodriguez’s attorney, Elizabeth Mullin, noted it would take the defense team a good deal of time to go through and understand the death penalty case against him.
Mullin said she would need time to “discuss complex legal issues with Mr. Rodriguez” and suggested a status conference in 90 days, which the judge agreed to. The parties will return to court in earlier December.
Investigators say Rodriguez was caught on surveillance footage one night in late May approaching Milgrim and Lischinsky as they prepared to leave an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. Footage, court records say, show Rodriguez firing at the two victims, leaning over them “with his arm extended” as they had fallen to the ground, and fired “several more times.”
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