Latest news with #DemetricScott
CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
Man admits to attempting to frame migrant accused of threatening Trump, prosecutors say
A Wisconsin man who investigators believe framed an undocumented migrant with threatening to kill President Donald Trump in order to have the immigrant deported has now been charged in the matter. According to state prosecutors, that man, Demetric Scott, admitted to framing the migrant, Ramon Morales-Reyes, whom Scott allegedly stabbed and robbed in 2023 and who was set to testify in the assault case against Scott. In an interview with Milwaukee police investigators, Scott 'admitted that he wrote everything on the letters and envelopes himself,' charging documents say. 'When asked what was going through his head at the time of writing the letters, the defendant stated 'Freedom.'' CNN has reached out to Scott's attorney for comment. A court hearing has been scheduled for later Tuesday. That legal action against Scott, however, could be too late for Morales-Reyes, who faces a deportation hearing Wednesday after he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – an arrest triggered by the allegedly false letters. Morales-Reyes' immigration attorney, Cain Oulahan, told CNN Tuesday that the alleged confession 'may help a little' in his client's deportation case because it helps show he's not a danger to the community. The arrest was hailed by many Trump allies, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who accused Morales-Reyes of threatening the president even though investigators were already looking into the possibility that he was set up. Noem and DHS have not issued a correction or update on the matter and its press release remains on its website. Asked Tuesday whether it planned to issue an update, DHS sent the same comment to CNN that was issued at the beginning of the case, which states that the investigation into the threat is ongoing and 'over the course of the investigation' Morales-Reyes 'was determined to be in the country illegally and that he had a criminal record. He will remain in custody.' Scott is set to go to trial in the assault and robbery case against him in July, but attorneys for Morales-Reyes are concerned that if their client is deported before then, the case could fall apart. According to prosecutors, Scott coordinated with others to send several letters purporting to be from Morales-Reyes threatening to kill Trump or ICE agents. Jailhouse phone calls previously reported by CNN show how Scott asked others, including his mother, for help sending letters and finding addresses for the local ICE office and for Attorney General Pam Bondi, police records show. During a search of Scott's jail cell, investigators found a blue pen – matching the color of ink used in the letters – as well as a note asking for the attorney general's address and an envelope with the address and phone number for the local ICE office, prosecutors say. Following an interview with police investigators on Friday, Scott allegedly called his mother and told her about his confession. 'The detective was like, 'Well, whatever your plan was, it worked he said, cause he got deported now because we had to go pick him up,'' Scott allegedly said of Morales-Reyes, according to court filings.
CNN
2 days ago
- General
- CNN
Immigration judge says she needs more time to review case of a framed migrant accused of threatening Trump
An immigration judge on Wednesday said she needed more time to review the case of an undocumented immigrant who police investigators say was set up and delayed a hearing for a week. The man, Ramon Morales-Reyes, appeared before immigration Judge Carla Espinoza Wednesday morning over video conferencing, calling in from the Wisconsin jail he's currently being held in. In late May, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Morales-Reyes after receiving a letter purporting to be from him threatening to kill President Donald Trump before self-deporting. Police quickly suspected a setup and, from reviewing jailhouse phone calls, discovered that a man who allegedly assaulted Morales-Reyes in 2023 had orchestrated the letters in order to have the migrant deported, court records allege. That man, Demetric Scott, has now been charged with several new counts including identity theft. Judge Espinoza said she needed more time to review evidence filed by Morales-Reyes over the letter, which was submitted last night by his attorney. 'A different individual has now confessed to writing that letter,' Morales-Reyes' attorney, Cain Oulahan, told the judge. Department of Homeland Security attorney Caitlin Corcoran told the judge that Morales-Reyes is eligible for a bond while his immigration proceedings play out. 'I'm not going to argue that he's ineligible for bond,' Corcoran said. 'He's bond eligible.' Corcoran also said she needed more time to review evidence around the letter, to which Oulahan quipped that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem already posted about the letter and accusation. 'I think the department should be aware of it,' Oulahan said, referring to Noem's previous post that accused Morales-Reyes of threatening the president. DHS has not removed or retracted Noem's statement accusing Morales-Reyes. Judge Espinoza said she would only be weighing whether Morales-Reyes is a danger to the community or a flight risk during the next hearing, scheduled for June 10. 'That is what I'll be analyzing during the next court hearing,' the judge said, noting that despite the case garnering news coverage, 'the court will look at the evidence before it. Not anything else.'
CNN
2 days ago
- General
- CNN
Immigration judge says she needs more time to review case of a framed migrant accused of threatening Trump
An immigration judge on Wednesday said she needed more time to review the case of an undocumented immigrant who police investigators say was set up and delayed a hearing for a week. The man, Ramon Morales-Reyes, appeared before immigration Judge Carla Espinoza Wednesday morning over video conferencing, calling in from the Wisconsin jail he's currently being held in. In late May, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Morales-Reyes after receiving a letter purporting to be from him threatening to kill President Donald Trump before self-deporting. Police quickly suspected a setup and, from reviewing jailhouse phone calls, discovered that a man who allegedly assaulted Morales-Reyes in 2023 had orchestrated the letters in order to have the migrant deported, court records allege. That man, Demetric Scott, has now been charged with several new counts including identity theft. Judge Espinoza said she needed more time to review evidence filed by Morales-Reyes over the letter, which was submitted last night by his attorney. 'A different individual has now confessed to writing that letter,' Morales-Reyes' attorney, Cain Oulahan, told the judge. Department of Homeland Security attorney Caitlin Corcoran told the judge that Morales-Reyes is eligible for a bond while his immigration proceedings play out. 'I'm not going to argue that he's ineligible for bond,' Corcoran said. 'He's bond eligible.' Corcoran also said she needed more time to review evidence around the letter, to which Oulahan quipped that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem already posted about the letter and accusation. 'I think the department should be aware of it,' Oulahan said, referring to Noem's previous post that accused Morales-Reyes of threatening the president. DHS has not removed or retracted Noem's statement accusing Morales-Reyes. Judge Espinoza said she would only be weighing whether Morales-Reyes is a danger to the community or a flight risk during the next hearing, scheduled for June 10. 'That is what I'll be analyzing during the next court hearing,' the judge said, noting that despite the case garnering news coverage, 'the court will look at the evidence before it. Not anything else.'
CNN
2 days ago
- General
- CNN
Immigration judge says she needs more time to review case of a framed migrant accused of threatening Trump
An immigration judge on Wednesday said she needed more time to review the case of an undocumented immigrant who police investigators say was set up and delayed a hearing for a week. The man, Ramon Morales-Reyes, appeared before immigration Judge Carla Espinoza Wednesday morning over video conferencing, calling in from the Wisconsin jail he's currently being held in. In late May, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Morales-Reyes after receiving a letter purporting to be from him threatening to kill President Donald Trump before self-deporting. Police quickly suspected a setup and, from reviewing jailhouse phone calls, discovered that a man who allegedly assaulted Morales-Reyes in 2023 had orchestrated the letters in order to have the migrant deported, court records allege. That man, Demetric Scott, has now been charged with several new counts including identity theft. Judge Espinoza said she needed more time to review evidence filed by Morales-Reyes over the letter, which was submitted last night by his attorney. 'A different individual has now confessed to writing that letter,' Morales-Reyes' attorney, Cain Oulahan, told the judge. Department of Homeland Security attorney Caitlin Corcoran told the judge that Morales-Reyes is eligible for a bond while his immigration proceedings play out. 'I'm not going to argue that he's ineligible for bond,' Corcoran said. 'He's bond eligible.' Corcoran also said she needed more time to review evidence around the letter, to which Oulahan quipped that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem already posted about the letter and accusation. 'I think the department should be aware of it,' Oulahan said, referring to Noem's previous post that accused Morales-Reyes of threatening the president. DHS has not removed or retracted Noem's statement accusing Morales-Reyes. Judge Espinoza said she would only be weighing whether Morales-Reyes is a danger to the community or a flight risk during the next hearing, scheduled for June 10. 'That is what I'll be analyzing during the next court hearing,' the judge said, noting that despite the case garnering news coverage, 'the court will look at the evidence before it. Not anything else.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Man accused of writing Trump assassination letters was framed, officials say
A man accused of writing letters threatening to assassinate US President Donald Trump was framed, investigators Morales-Reyes, a 54-year-old undocumented immigrant, was arrested last week after officials alleged he threatened to shoot Trump. He faces a deportation hearing a court filing, prosecutors now claim the letters were written by Demetric Deshawn Scott, who is set to face trial on allegations he assaulted and robbed Mr Scott has been charged with witness intimidation, identity theft and breach of bail. He told investigators he wrote the letters to prevent Mr Morales-Reyes from testifying in the robbery case, court documents say. In an interview after his arrest on 22 May, Mr Morales-Reyes told investigators he suspected Mr Scott wanted to "get him in trouble" after he accused him of Morales-Reyes doesn't speak fluent English, and his handwriting is "completely different" from the writing on the letters, according to the court filing. Police in Milwaukee - Wisconsin's most populous city - then interviewed Mr Scott, who "admitted that he wrote everything on the letters and envelopes himself"."When asked what was going through his head at the time of writing the letters, the defendant stated 'Freedom,'" the filing said. According to the filing, he admitted his intention was not to threaten Trump but prevent Mr Morales-Reyes from testifying at his trial, which is scheduled for week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a press release announcing Mr Morales-Reyes's arrest over a letter sent to an immigration field officer, including a copy of the letter, the author said he would "shoot your precious president in his [sic] head" at a Trump rally before fleeing back to his native country of of the letter were also sent to the Wisconsin attorney general's office and Milwaukee police chief. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a picture of Mr Morales-Reyes's face and the letter on social media, writing: "This illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars."When White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about Noem's post and whether it would be corrected or removed, she referred questions to Homeland post about Mr Morales-Reyes remains on Mr Morales-Reyes is no longer accused of making the threats, a DHS statement said Mr Morales-Reyes would remain in custody."Over the course of the investigation, this individual was determined to be in the country illegally and that he had a criminal record," it Morales-Reyes will face a deportation hearing in Chicago Immigration Court on Wednesday morning, according to his lawyer Cain a statement to BBC News, the lawyer said that his client and his family are "relieved that it is now clear who the actual writer of the threatening letters is", but added that they "have been traumautized by these events and hope to be reunited soon". "We also believe that the Department of Homeland Security should issue a public statement acknowledging their error and calling for a stop to any threats against him and his family," the statement Oulahan added that Mr Morales-Reyes applied for a U visa - a type of visa given to the victims of crimes who cooperate with law enforcement - this past March. But the backlog on approving U visas is 7-8 years, "thus, we will be exploring other avenues of relief to try to keep him here."Demetric Deshawn Scott is set to face trial in July over the robbery case involving Mr Scott is charged with multiple felonies, including armed robbery, aggravated battery and use of a dangerous news outlet Milwaukee Journal Sentinel described the alleged encounter, saying that a man captured on a doorbell camera, suspected to be Mr Scott, assaulted Mr Morales-Reyes with a corkscrew while attempting to steal his bicycle.
