Will Von Brunn’s Prosecutors Get Their Day?

Civil Liberties

Mike Levine

Washington, DC

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Will Von Brunn’s Prosecutors Get Their Day?

July 10, 2009 - 10:52 AM | by: Mike Levine

The 88-year-old white supremacist who allegedly opened fire and killed a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum last month may never actually be prosecuted for the crime.

But if he’s never prosecuted, he will likely never live another day as a free man.

Federal prosecutors charged James von Brunn with first-degree murder and weapons-related offenses, and they could still charge him with a federal hate crime. But von Brunn has yet to be arraigned on the current charges because, according to prosecutors and his lawyer, he is physically unable to appear in court for his initial appearance.

Von Brunn was recently transported to United Medical Center (formerly Greater Southeast Community Hospital) in Washington, where the Department of Corrections has a secure ward for alleged criminals with “serious medical problems,” according to von Brunn’s attorney, public defender A. J. Kramer.

Von Brunn “is not able to come to court yet,” Kramer told a federal judge this morning, marking the fifth consecutive hearing in which von Brunn was unable to appear in court due to his medical condition.

Von Brunn was shot in the face by another security guard at the Holocaust museum. As of June 23, von Brunn was in "stable condition."

He is currently unable to walk, and he has some sort of tube going into his neck, Kramer said. It’s unclear whether that tube is a ventilator.

Kramer said von Brunn is able to “respond” and can hear, but he can only talk “sometimes.” Asked whether von Brunn is “lucid,” Kramer said, “I wouldn’t go that far.” In fact, Kramer said he has yet to discuss what happened at the Holocaust museum with von Brunn.

“We haven’t gotten anywhere close to that point,” Kramer said.

The next hearing in the case has been set for Thursday, July 30. According to prosecutors, the end of July is when von Brunn “would possibly be able to be transported to court.”

But no one knows when – or if – von Brunn will actually be arraigned. Asked whether the case will be able to go to trial, considering von Brunn's age and medical state, Kramer said, “Seriously, I have no idea.”

Until von Brunn can be arraigned, he will be held without bond and locked in a hospital ward.

11 Comments

BethClare

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I do not condone what this evil & sick man has done. I am a white older woman from the deep south and I have seen first hand the guys in the white sheets. I have seen the burned crosses and the black families burned out of their homes just because one political ward wants to boast that no blacks live in that area. I understand the vile hatred white supremasists have in their hearts. Having said all that, I am taken aback by the hatred spewed in the listings here. "Pull the plug", "don't care about that place or who he killed". People, please check your own hatreds at the door before you comment on someone else's. Uncivility breeds more hatred in this world, and we have seen enough of it. Hate speech, hate crimes, hate groups and the list goes on. We will continue to deal with hatred amoung ourselves as long as we, each in our own way, continue to spew hatred. Let's all take a deep breath and set our eyes on the problems this nation is suffering, so that each of us, in our own way, may contribute to the solutions. Beth Clare, http://www.ecrosaries.com

July 12, 2009 at 6:11 AM

muman613

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What are they waiting for? Why is this inhumane bastard still drawing valuable air from this world. I cannot wait till every last Nazi is dead and buried. Then we can dance on their graves.

July 10, 2009 at 9:53 PM

stratos

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His killing days are over.

July 10, 2009 at 9:28 PM

From the right

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Everyone talking like he is guilty, he has not been tried, he may be not guilty. And then again he may have been right for what he did. Who really gives a sh/it about that museum or guy that died.

July 10, 2009 at 7:22 PM

Bobby

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In order to be arraigned he has to be able to understand the charges against him. If he is in and out of consciousness he cant do that. And if he is heavily medicated he cant do that. So the judge coming to him and video conferencing are not the issue. Either his condition will improve or it wont. Regardless he will never live long enough to face an execution. His life will pretty much be exactly as it is today until it ends.

July 10, 2009 at 5:42 PM

Matthew

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Why are we spending our hard-earned tax dollars keeping this guy alive? Would it be fair to assume he can't be "rehabilitated into society?" So...please do us all a favor, and pull the plug and rid the world of this pure evil.

July 10, 2009 at 5:28 PM

G money

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Well, the guy did do us a favor.

July 10, 2009 at 4:56 PM

Mike

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I'm sure that an arraingment could be accomplished via video conferencing. After all this is the 21 century.

July 10, 2009 at 4:35 PM

Janet

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Put his ass in a wheel chair, on a stretcher or whatever but get his ass in for his arraignment - even if you have to have a nurse stand next to him. The family of the slain security guard deserve that much.

July 10, 2009 at 2:35 PM

Jimmy

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OK -- enough already! His lawyer can enter a "Not Guilty" on his behalf, and he can be tried in absentia. If we can get a conviction, all we have to do is kick the plug out!

July 10, 2009 at 2:27 PM