Man charged with killing Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, DC, enters not guilty plea
A photograph of Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky is displayed outside the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum on May 29 in Washington
By Holmes Lybrand, CNN
(CNN) — The man accused of ruthlessly killing two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, DC, earlier this year, chanting pro-Palestine slogans during his arrest, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to the nine charges against him, some of which could carry the death penalty.
The federal indictment against Elias Rodriguez, who prosecutors say shot and killed Israeli Embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside of an American Jewish Committee event in May, includes counts of premeditated murder and hate crimes resulting in death.
During Thursday’s hearing, Judge Randolph Moss and Rodriguez’s attorney, Elizabeth Mullin, noted it would take the defense team a good deal of time to go through and understand the death penalty case against him.
Mullin said she would need time to “discuss complex legal issues with Mr. Rodriguez” and suggested a status conference in 90 days, which the judge agreed to. The parties will return to court in earlier December.
Investigators say Rodriguez was caught on surveillance footage one night in late May approaching Milgrim and Lischinsky as they prepared to leave an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. Footage, court records say, show Rodriguez firing at the two victims, leaning over them “with his arm extended” as they had fallen to the ground, and fired “several more times.”
As she still tried to crawl away, Rodriguez allegedly followed behind Milgrim “and fired again,” shooting her one last time as she began to sit up.
Despite the horrific accusations, prosecutors will need to convince a jury that the murder was motivated by religious bigotry and not vitriol against the state of Israel.
Rodriguez repeatedly denounced Israel over the war in Gaza both at the scene of the crime and in alleged statements online, including his comment to police after his arrest that “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”
Judge Moss noted that Rodriguez’s defense team would need time to investigate how the death penalty was being applied in the case and designated the case as “complex,” allowing for more time than during a normal case going to trial.
When asked by Moss if he was satisfied with his attorney, Rodriguez, dressed in orange prison scrubs with an oversized white t-shirt underneath, black-rimmed glasses and a dark beard and hair parted down the middle, said loudly and clearly, “Yes, your honor.”
Before Thurday’s hearing, Rodriguez was seen walking in shackles around his legs and wrists down the hall of the DC federal courthouse, as deputy US Marshals escorted him to a small holding cell behind the courtroom.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
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