The man accused of shooting 10 people in a subway shooting attack in New York City was in court Monday, where a judge set a trial date for early next year.
Frank James pleaded not guilty in May to federal charges of committing a terrorist attack on mass transit and discharging a firearm during a violent crime. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Prosecutors have accused James of setting off smoke bombs and firing 33 rounds on a Manhattan-bound N train in April. His trial is set to begin February 27.
James, 62, was arrested April 13, about 30 hours after authorities said he drove from Philadelphia and unleashed smoke bombs and dozens of bullets in a train full or morning commuters as it approached a station in Sunset Park. The shooting victims ranged in age from 16 to 60; all survived.
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Authorities said James’s bank card, cellphone and a key to a van he had rented were found at the shooting scene. Police also said they found the 9mm Glock semiautomatic handgun used in the shooting and traced it to James.
Defense attorney Mia Eisner-Grynberg had cautioned at at the time of James' arrest not to rush to judgment and noted that James alerted police to his whereabouts. He was arrested in Manhattan’s East Village after he called a tip line saying he was at a fast food restaurant in that section of the city.
Eisner-Grynberg declined comment following the defendant's previous court appearance.
A motive for the attack is unclear. In numerous rants he posted on YouTube, James, who is Black, made bigoted remarks about people of various backgrounds and railed against New York Mayor Eric Adams and complained about mental health care he received in the city years ago.
