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Christopher Lee Cornell, 20, on Jan. 14, 2015.(Photo: Butler County Jail)
CINCINNATI — If he ever gets out of jail, the 20-year-old Ohio man accused of plotting to plant pipe bombs in the U.S. Capitol "would put bullets in President Obama's head," he told a Cincinnati television reporter in a recent phone interview.
But it took a two-day battle in federal court for the public to hear those comments from Christopher Cornell.
That's because Cornell's legal counsel never wanted the public to hear him talk about the alleged plan that got him indicted for attempted murder of government employees and officials, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in an attempted crime of violence.
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During the approximately six-minute-long segment aired on WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, a Fox affiliate, on Friday, a seemingly calm and unapologetic Cornell issued threats and detailed his attack plans.
Cornell, asked by the interviewer what he would have done had he not been arrested in January, said he would have taken one of his guns, "I would have put it to Obama's head, I would have pulled the trigger, then I would unleash more bullets on the Senate and House of Representative members, and I would have attacked the Israeli embassy and various other buildings."
Cornell, who repeatedly identified himself as Muslim, said he wanted to carry out the attack because of "the continued American aggression against our people and the fact that America, specifically President Obama, wants to wage war against Islamic State."
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Richard Smith-Monahan, co-counsel for Cornell, filed a motion Thursday asking a federal judge to prohibit the TV station from broadcasting the interview, which reporter Tricia Macke called "chilling."
The motion also asked a judge to consider holding WXIX-TV, Macke and the Boone County jail in contempt of court.
Why?
Cornell's counsel essentially wanted to control media coverage involving their client, said First Amendment Attorney Jack Greiner, who was not involved in the case but sat in on the hearing Friday.
Smith-Monahan denied that, and argued Macke and others violated an order issued by a different federal judge in January prohibiting outside contact with Cornell unless approved by his counsel.
He said Cornell could never get a fair trial if the interview aired because of the "extraordinary media circus" the case has become.
Federal Judge Sandra Beckwith ruled in favor of WXIX-TV in part because Cornell reached out to the news station himself. Cornell called the station "out of the blue" during its 10 p.m. newscast Wednesday, according to testimony from multiple WXIX-TV officials Friday.
The January order prohibiting outside contact also was "ambiguous," Beckwith said in her ruling.
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Boone County Jail Lt. Jason Maydak testified Cornell had been given a phone at the request of his counsel. Although Cornell's counsel only wanted him to communicate with his parents and legal representation, Maydak said that was not the way jail officials operate.
"I made it clear that if the inmate had access to a phone, he could call anyone he wanted," Maydak told the judge Friday.
Cornell's counsel agreed, Maydak said, even after he told them he could call the media and jail officials would not stop him.
At one point during a conversation with his counsel, it appeared Cornell told Smith-Monahan "I gave them permission."
"It's clear this was not a willful violation of the court order," Beckwith said.
Macke said Cornell spoke quietly but deliberately during their three back-to-back 20-minute conversations.
"He does not mince words," she said.
"I couldn't believe what he was telling me. As a reporter, these are the kind of sound bites you live for."
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Smith-Monahan declined to comment after the hearing.
W. Kelly Johnson, a white-collar criminal attorney who sat in on the hearing, agreed with the judge's ruling but empathized with Smith-Monahan's argument.
Johnson was a federal public defender for 12 years. He defended many people with similarities to Cornell, including at least one client on the FBI's top-10 most wanted list.
"It's hard when your client gives a statement broadcast across multiple stations to find jurors who haven't heard it," said Johnson.
"And even if they haven't (heard it), it's hard to find jurors who don't know about it."
U.S. Attorney Timothy Mangan, who previously told Beckwith the government was not taking sides in the issue, immediately requested a copy and transcript of the interview.
Cornell is expected to return to court in April to face his charges.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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