Accused Assassin Vance Boelter to Appear in Federal Court Thursday Afternoon After Earlier Delay

(KNSI) — The man accused of killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and wounding another Democratic lawmaker and his wife, will be in court today after his initial bail hearing last week was delayed over concerns about jail conditions.

Vance Boelter’s federal public defender, Manny Atwal, requested the hearing be continued, arguing that the Green Isle man has been sleep-deprived while on suicide watch at the Sherburne County Jail.

“Your honor, I haven’t really slept in about 12 to 14 days,” Boelter told the judge, while denying being suicidal. “I’ve never been suicidal and I am not suicidal now.”

Atwal described harsh conditions at the jail, saying the 67-year-old has been kept in what’s known as a “Gumby suit” without undergarments since his transfer following his June 16th court appearance. She cited 24-hour lighting, frequently slamming doors, and an adjacent inmate who spreads feces on cell walls, with the smell drifting to Boelter’s cell.

The judge agreed to transfer Boelter to segregation and provide him with a normal jail uniform. Prosecutors did not object to the delay and expressed their own concerns about the jail conditions.

However, Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott issued a statement ripping Boelter’s claims and provided detailed surveillance evidence contradicting him.

The statement says security cameras captured the activity of the alleged assassin in his cell on “suicide precaution” and show he was resting peacefully with his eyes closed for seven straight hours, appearing to be asleep. Brott emphasized that Boelter “is not in a hotel” but in jail, where he belongs, given the serious charges against him. They defended the 24-hour lighting as necessary for welfare checks and described his cell as “spotless clean” with a mattress that has a sewn-in pillow. They said he has daily access to phone calls and showers and has not missed any meals.

Boelter faces federal charges that could carry the death penalty for what Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson has called a political assassination. However, Thompson said no decision has been made yet on seeking the death penalty.

Authorities say Boelter shot and wounded Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their Champlin home before killing the Hortmans at their Brooklyn Park residence. Yvette is out of the hospital, but a family statement says Sen. Hoffman has a long road yet. The couple was shot a combined 17 times. Federal prosecutors allege Boelter also stopped at the homes of two other Democratic lawmakers and had listed dozens of other Democrats as potential targets, including officials in other states.

Boelter surrendered near his home in Green Isle on June 15th after what authorities called the largest manhunt in Minnesota history.

Boelter also faces separate state murder and attempted murder charges that could result in life without parole, but federal authorities plan to prosecute first.

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