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Morning News

White House Shooting: Pickett Could Face Charges Today

Aired February 9, 2001 - 11:13 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The man arrested in yesterday's White House shooting incident could face charges before the day is out -- our Kelli Arena joining us now from Washington, with details on that.

Kelli, good morning.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, as you can see, I'm standing outside of U.S. district court. This is where we expect that files -- charges will be filed against Mr. Pickett. We are told by law enforcement sources that those -- that prosecutors are leaning toward a charge, a felony charge, of assaulting a federal officer, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

There is some discussion, though, about whether to start with a lesser charge, of the having a handgun -- and here in the district, it is illegal for anyone beside law enforcement officials to carry a handgun. If that is the case, then those charges might be filed in superior court. That discussion, we're told, is still going on. Just because he's charged with one or the other, doesn't mean that prosecutors couldn't add to the charges as this process continues.

He is in good, stable condition at the hospital. He does not need to be in the courtroom when those charges are filed. We do expect that he will be appointed a lawyer by the court, unless he comes up with one himself, and none has surfaced thus far.

The theory that really has some legs now is this is looking more and more like a suicide-by-cop mission, which basically means that Mr. Pickett was mentally disturbed enough to try to provoke law enforcement officers to kill him. There was, we are told, by sources, a will found in his kitchen and in his office, there was, we are told by sources, a suicide note, found in his vehicle, that has been impounded. And as we have reported, there were letters written to several newspapers, CCing the president and his congressman, saying that his death was on their hands.

Just for a little background, he was fired from the Internal Revenue Service and has since mounted a campaign against the IRS, saying that 0he was wrongfully dismissed. He is -- self-admittedly has some mental issues that he is -- he's been in and out of therapy.

Again, that also complicates matters for prosecutors here as to where he would go after this. If he needs to be evaluated, psychologically evaluated. If he is charged federally, there are only three institutions in the country, one being closest to here being in North Carolina, where they cannot only hold him, but also evaluate him properly.

So we are waiting. We're told not to expect any charges to be filed until later on this afternoon, but we're standing by just in case they get their act together a little sooner -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Kelli Arena, in Washington, D.C., thank you for that update.

ARENA: You're welcome.

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