New Jersey Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver pled not guilty in federal court June 25 to charges of "assaulting, resisting, and impeding” Homeland Security investigators while visiting the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark in May.
The trial date has been set for Nov. 10.
“l pleaded not guilty because I am not guilty," she said to supporters and press outside the courtroom, flanked by her lawyers Paul Fishman and Lee Cortes. "We will fight this.” She then rushed off to go back to Washington, D.C.
McIver, who appeared by Zoom at an initial hearing on May 21, was present for the June 25 hearing in the courtroom of Judge Jamel Semper. It was two weeks after a three-count indictment announced by Alina Habba, the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. An indictment is a formal accusation by a grand jury, which leads to a formal plea being entered.
Supporters of McIver filled the courtroom — which was without air conditioning but somehow bearable on a sweltering 90-degree day — as the judge spoke for a few minutes.
