A federal judge in Oakland ordered property arrest for the wife of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen ahead of her trial on felony charges connected to the 2016 massacre.
In freeing Mateen’s widow, Noor Salman, from federal custody pending the trial, federal magistrate Donna Ryu cast doubt on the strength of the government’s case against her.
Salman was arrested in January and is facing two felony charges for allegedly aiding and abetting Mateen’s “provision of material assistance” to the terrorist group ISIS and obstructing the investigation into the massacre.
“I obtain that at this time the weight of the proof is debatable,” Ryu mentioned. “All of the information and facts offered by the government is hotly debated.”
The bulk of the government’s case relies on admissions Salman allegedly created toward the finish of an interrogation that occurred for the duration of a 16-hour detention.
Federal prosecutors have stated Salman was in the car or truck with Omar Mateen as he cased 3 potential Orlando places and that the couple spent some $25,000 utilizing credit cards in the days prior to the shooting and created Salman the death beneficiary of Mateen’s bank account. They’ve also said she made a cover story for him by telling his loved ones he was going out for dinner with a buddy.
“The alleged admissions may perhaps be vulnerable to constitutional attack,” Ryu stated. The judge added that the strength of the government’s proof beyond the admissions “is also debatable at this time.”
Prosecutors did not give adequate evidence in court to preserve Salman behind bars and did not establish clear proof that Salman was violent or risky, Ryu stated.
Salman’s mother and uncle will serve as custodians and have offered up their homes and house as equity to safe her $500,000 bond. She will wear an ankle bracelet monitoring unit. Her uncle is accountable for monitoring and supervising Salman at all times.
Salman will be permitted to leave her uncle’s residence to meet with attorneys and attend to her son’s health-related and mental well being treatments, but she will not be permitted to leave the home to go grocery buying or run errands.
The government had asked for Salman to be detained and not released on bond, citing the terrorism charge she is facing.
Salman will not be quickly released from federal custody, providing prosecutors 48 hours to appeal the judge’s ruling.
Beneath the conditions of her release, Salman will not be capable to travel outdoors of California and Florida, but she can travel amongst the two states with advance approval.
Even though beneath home arrest, Salman can not have her passport or have any travel visas issued and will not be permitted to personal or carry a firearm or have one particular in the house.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina stated he was “disappointed” that Salman would be released from federal custody.
“Nothing at all can erase the pain we all really feel about the senseless and brutal murders of 49 of our neighbors, friends, family members and loved ones,” the chief stated in a statement, adding, “I have full faith that she will eventually be brought to justice.”
On June 12, Mateen killed 49 people and injured dozens more when he opened fire in a common Orlando nightclub.
Prosecutors allege that Salman “knew [her husband] was going to attack,” and accuse her of lying to police and federal investigators.
Salman entered a not guilty plea to the charges at a hearing in January. In an interview with The New York Times in November, Salman mentioned “I was unaware of anything,” and “I don’t condone what he has accomplished.”
ABC News’ Rachel Katz contributed to this report.
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