In a brief court federal appearance Thursday, Vance Boelter waived his right to detention and preliminary hearings and said he looks forward to further proceedings so the “facts” and “truth” will emerge surrounding the events of June 14, the day he allegedly shot two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses in their homes.
Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, Minn., made the statements to a St. Paul courtroom in a hearing that was supposed to determine if he should remain in custody ahead of trial. He stands charged charged with six federal crimes, including stalking and murder, for the killing of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shooting of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Boelter’s attorney, federal defender Manny Atwal, waived the detention hearing, pointing to the $5 million bail set in Hennepin County that he cannot afford on his state charges. Boelter will remain in the Sherburne County jail, which houses inmates facing federal charges.
Vance Boelter, the man accused of shooting two Minnesota state legislators and their spouses, was finally arrested late Sunday in Sibley County after an extensive manhunt.
“Your Honor, I’m looking forward to court. I’m looking forward to the truth and the facts about the 14th…especially what happened before the 14th,” Boelter told Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko. “If by waiving those things…[mumble] where the truth can come out, I understand and think that will be good. I think Minnesotans want to know.”
Before court concluded, Boelter repeated a request to change cells, saying the lights are always on and make it impossible to determine if it’s day or night.
Boelter made similar claims in court last week during a hearing that was put on hold until Thursday over concerns he’s been unable to sleep while on suicide watch in the jail. Atwal asked Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko to delay Friday’s hearing because poor conditions have inhibited Boelter from getting adequate rest since his arrest, which has made it difficult to communicate with him.
“Your honor, I haven’t slept in 12 to 14 days,” Boelter said during that hearing. “I’d also like to state I’ve never been suicidal, and I’m not suicidal now.”
Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott rebuffed the claims about the jail’s conditions, calling them “absurd.” He said Boelter’s statements contradicted surveillance footage showing him “resting peacefully” prior to his hearing last Friday.
“He is not in a hotel. He’s in jail, where a person belongs when they commit the heinous crimes he is accused of committing,” Brott said in a statement last week.
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