Beyond the 806
US Capitol police arrest California man with guillotine in truckbed - The Guardian
Capitol Police arrested a California man this week after finding a wooden guillotine in the bed of his truck near the US Capitol grounds, and a DC judge declined to keep him locked up while the case moves forward. Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor weapons charge at his arraignment before Judge Robert Hildum in DC Superior Court.
Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor weapons charge at his arraignment before Judge Robert Hildum in DC Superior Court. Prosecutors pushed to keep Le behind bars, arguing the charge involved attempted possession of a prohibited weapon. Hildum rejected that request.
The judge did acknowledge the guillotine amounted to a "very, very serious thing," but he pointed to Le never threatening anyone with the device. That distinction appears to be what swayed his decision on pretrial detention.
For folks in Lubbock watching national news, the case sits at an uncomfortable intersection of free expression and public safety near one of the most secured buildings in the country. Even misdemeanor weapons charges there tend to carry unusual weight given the events of recent years.
Le faces a misdemeanor, not a felony, which carries significantly lower maximum penalties and explains, in part, why the judge let him walk out of the courthouse Wednesday.
Common questions
What exactly did Capitol Police find in the man's truck?
- Capitol Police found a wooden guillotine in the bed of a truck belonging to Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, of California, near the US Capitol grounds. He was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for possession of a prohibited weapon.
Why did the judge let the man go free before trial?
- DC Superior Court Judge Robert Hildum declined to hold Le in pretrial detention, noting that while the guillotine was a very serious matter, Le had never threatened anyone with it. Le pleaded not guilty at his Wednesday arraignment.
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