(CNN) — The man accused of being the Washington DC pipe bomber will remain in jail until he stands trial. a federal judge ruled Friday.
The decision to detain Brian Cole Jr., who allegedly planted explosives outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee buildings on Jan. 5, 2021, was made two days after a hearing in which prosecutors argued that Cole would pose a danger to others if released and allowed to live with his family.
Judge Matthew Sharbaugh wrote: “The sudden and abrupt motivation behind Mr. Cole’s alleged actions raises concerns about how quickly the same abrupt and impulsive behavior could be repeated.”
He continued: “Furthermore, Mr. Cole reportedly told the FBI that he had mounted the IEDs ‘in the hours before driving to Washington, DC on January 5, 2021.’”
Cole has yet to enter a plea to the charges. No trial date has been set.
Sharbaugh said the speed at which Cole could have assembled the bombs “suggests he could prepare dangerous explosives in a short time, within a few hours, and not necessarily days or weeks.”
“Given the rashness with which Mr. Cole allegedly acted, and the speed with which he was able to construct the so-called ‘pipe bombs,’ the Court lacks confidence that even the most stringent conditions of release can reasonably protect against the risk of future harm,” the judge wrote.
Sharbaugh added that he shared his concerns with prosecutors about how Cole allegedly disposed of evidence and continued to buy parts to make so-called bombs after Cole allegedly placed the two bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committee buildings.
Cole’s attorney argued that he should be released into the care of his grandmother.
Cole’s grandmother took the stand herself, promising to “make whatever adjustments I need to make” to keep him out of trouble, adding that she had already placed cameras around the outside of her home in a gated community.
His attorney also emphasized that Cole has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, two factors that should be taken into account due to both his mindset in committing the alleged crimes and his ability to navigate prison.
Complicating the matter further, the Justice Department filed charges against Cole that had not yet been accepted by a judge. Sharbaugh explained during the hearing that a grand jury from the local Superior Court in Washington, rather than federal court, had returned an indictment against Cole, and that he was watching a separate case involving a similar issue go through the appeals process to determine what to do in Cole’s case.
A person familiar with the case said prosecutors only used a Superior Court grand jury because federal grand juries were not convening at the time.
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