Ex-officer accused of plotting New Orleans attack is released after grand jury declines to indict
A former law enforcement officer accused of plotting to kill Black people in a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival was quietly released from custody over
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Ex Officer Accused of Plotting New Orleans Attack Released
Qwenews.com – A former law enforcement officer accused of plotting to kill Black people in a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival was quietly released from custody over the summer after a grand jury found insufficient evidence to charge him. The ex officer accused of plotting the attack, Christopher Gillum, was not indicted by a Louisiana grand jury in June on a state terrorism charge that could have carried up to a 15-year sentence, according to court records.
Gillum, who had been held without bond, was released shortly after the grand jury’s decision and is not facing charges in any other jurisdictions, according to his attorney, Dylan Utley. The 45-year-old ex-police officer, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, had been arrested in Florida in April with hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a handgun while traveling to Louisiana to commit a mass shooting, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Legal Proceedings and Jurisdictional Complexities
The investigation had involved the FBI and authorities across Louisiana, North Carolina, and Florida. Authorities did not name the specific event Gillum was allegedly targeting, but his arrest came on the eve of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers annually. Gillum, who is White, had “expressed recent threats to harm ‘Black people’,” according to authorities.
“The threat relayed to a family member actually occurred in North Carolina,” said Lester Duhe, a spokesperson for Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. “The defendant never entered the State of Louisiana until after his arrest.”
His family had reported him missing in North Carolina and said he had a history of self-harm. Duhe said Gillum’s family had taken him “to a treatment facility out of the state” and that he is not facing additional criminal charges. Duhe explained there were “several jurisdictional issues” that complicated the case after Gillum was extradited to Louisiana following his arrest.
Gillum was charged under a Louisiana statute for the crime of “terrorizing,” which requires that “a crime of violence is imminent or in progress or that a circumstance dangerous to human life exists or is about to exist.” Jonathan Guidry, the foreperson for the grand jury, declined to comment on the decision to not indict Gillum.
Expert Analysis and Ongoing Questions
Katherine Schweit, a former Chicago prosecutor and FBI executive who ran the agency’s active shooter program, said that thwarted acts of mass violence do not always lead to indictments, but prosecutors often seek an array of criminal charges when possible.
“It’s very difficult to convince a jury, or to convince a grand jury, that something might have happened,” Schweit told The Associated Press.
Law enforcement authorities in North Carolina, where Louisiana court records list Gillum as residing, told the AP that they were not aware he had been released from custody. “If we’ve got an individual that was accused of such an action, we would want to know if in fact he did return to Alamance County,” said Byron Tucker, a spokesperson for the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina.
The offices of state attorneys general in North Carolina and Florida did not respond to a request for comment about whether Gillum may face additional criminal charges in their jurisdictions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana also did not return messages seeking comment. In a statement, the FBI New Orleans office said the decision whether to charge Gillum rested with prosecutors. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival declined to comment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the ex officer accused of plotting the New Orleans attack released? A Louisiana grand jury declined to indict Christopher Gillum on a state terrorism charge in June, finding insufficient evidence to proceed with charges. He had been held without bond since his April arrest.
What charges was Gillum facing? Gillum was charged under a Louisiana statute for the crime of “terrorizing,” which carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years. The charge requires that “a crime of violence is imminent or in progress or that a circumstance dangerous to human life exists or is about to exist.”
What is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival? The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is a major annual music and cultural event that attracts hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers. Gillum’s arrest came on the eve of this festival, though authorities did not specifically name it as his target.
Will Gillum face additional criminal charges? Gillum’s attorney stated he is not facing charges in any other jurisdictions. However, the offices of state attorneys general in North Carolina and Florida have not yet responded to requests for comment about whether additional charges may be filed.
