Accused Tumbler Ridge co-conspirator pleads not guilty in U.S. court

Okay, we do have some breaking news to bring you now out of a Seattle courtroom. The alleged co-conspirator in the Tumbler Ridge, B.C. mass shooting has entered a plea. A Washington state grand jury indicted 30-year-old James Cody Bryant last week for conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. Eight people were killed during last February's shooting. The CBC's Caroline Bargut is at that courthouse in Seattle. Okay, Caroline, bring us the breaking news this hour. Okay, Arthie, James Cody Bryant, whose lawyers say goes by the name Melody and uses she, her pronouns, entered a plea of not guilty. It was an extremely short court hearing. It's an arraignment. And so a court martial, a U.S. court martial, walked Bryant in. She was wearing an olive green prison-issued shirt and pants. Her hands were clasped in front. She walked in. Two of her friends were sitting in the courtroom. She gave a slight smile, nodded to them, had a seat. The judge asked U.S. State's Attorney, Assistant State's Attorney Todd Greenberg, to read the charge, which is conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. He read the charge and then said that it carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Then the accused, Bryant's lawyer, had said that he will enter a plea on behalf of his client. When the judge asked, what is that plea? He said, not guilty. And then the judge set a date for a trial set for December 21st of this year. And I was speaking to a U.S. Department of Justice representative after the court hearing. And she said that typically that's what happens in these arraignments is an accused will enter a not guilty plea. She said in 22 years working for the Department of Justice, an accused has not entered a guilty plea. This is usually the way the process works. You enter a not guilty plea and then you have the potential to change your plea later on. But at this point, we know that James Cody Bryant has pled not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. Trial dates are scheduled to begin on December 21st of this year. Caroline, thank you for this. That is the CBC's Caroline Barghout in Seattle.