A California man accused of storming the White House Correspondents' Association dinner while armed with guns and knives has pleaded not guilty to charges he attempted to kill President Donald Trump and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer. Cole Tomas Allen was handcuffed and shackled and wearing an orange jail uniform when he appeared in federal court for his arraignment Monday. Allen didn't speak during the brief hearing. One of his attorneys entered the plea on his behalf. Allen's lawyers are asking a judge to disqualify at least two top Justice Department officials from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case.
A California sheriff says that evidence suggests human remains were present at a home connected to the man convicted of killing 19-year-old college student Kristin Smart in 1996. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said Friday that they cannot say whether the remains are those of Smart. The office served a warrant this week on the home of Susan Flores but has not said what prompted the search. Her son Paul Flores was convicted in 2022 of killing Smart, whose body was never found. Scientists took soil samples from outside the house and in a neighbor's yard this week.