A federal judge ordered the suspect in the attack on Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) to be released to a hospital inpatient treatment program, The Washington Post reported.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui ruled during a detention hearing on Wednesday that Kendrick Hamlin, who allegedly assaulted Craig in an elevator in her apartment building in February, should be released from the Washington, D.C. jail where he has been held since he was arrested. But he scheduled another hearing for April 18 to confirm that another judge agrees with the ruling.
“To say this is a close call is not doing it justice. This is an extremely close call,” Faruqui said.
A police report on the incident had reportedly said that Hamlin was “acting erratic” and “as if he was under the influence of an unknown substance” in the lobby of Craig’s building before following her into the elevator.
Hamlin allegedly hit Craig in the chin and grabbed her neck, but she defended herself by throwing hot coffee in his face. Hamlin fled the scene after.
The Post reported that prosecutors opposed Hamlin being released and cited the 25 bench warrants he has for missing court appearances in other cases. Prosecutor Joshua Gold argued that the facility where Hamlin wants to go does not have enough security to stop him from walking out.
Faruqui said he only needs to have “reasonable assurance” that Hamlin will go to his next court appearance.
He stayed his decision after a prosecutor announced their intention to appeal, sending the case to James Boasberg, the chief judge of the D.C. federal court, for a final decision on April 18.
Craig’s office declined to comment to the Post on the decision.
Hamlin said during the hearing that he wanted to “get myself together,” “mentally, physically and emotionally.”
The suspect’s defense team said he has not been offered “location monitoring” and a “stable residence” where he can receive mental health services and treatment for addiction.
“He is a man suffering from mental illness and homelessness who needs treatment, not incarceration,” they said in court documents.