Benghazi suspect’s charges changing

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

WASHINGTON — Ahmed Abu K hatallah, who’s accused of leading the 2012 assault on an American compound in Benghazi, Libya, in which four Americans were killed, will face a new indictment, a prosecutor said.

Khatallah is charged with conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists resulting in death, a crime that carries a possible life sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiLorenzo said Tuesday in federal court in Washington that the government expects to bring a new indictment against the Libyan, without specifying how the charges against him might change.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper scheduled another hearing for Sept. 9 and ruled that because of the complexity of the case, he won’t apply the time until then to the countdown that ensures a defendant gets a speedy trial.

Khatallah’s attorney, Michelle Peterson, a public defender, didn’t object to Cooper’s decision. Peterson said she is still awaiting government delivery of evidence needed to plan a defense.

Cooper, who joined the federal bench in March, disclosed that his wife had been a supervisor in the section of the Justice Department bringing the case against Khatallah, a post she left in January 2008.

Cooper, saying he doesn’t view his wife’s former job as presenting a conflict, said he wanted to go on record regarding the connection so the defense is aware of it.

Khatallah, who is about 43, pleaded innocent on June 28 and and in a hearing last Wednesday didn’t contest his confinement pending a review of the government’s evidence against him.