Rep. McIver in court, charged with felony over ICE facility confrontation
Editor's Note: The above video previously aired on May 19.
NEWARK, New Jersey -- Representative LaMonica McIver, the member of Congress who represents north-central New Jersey, including Newark, made her first appearance before a judge virtually late Wednesday morning.
The hearing was in relation to federal felony assault and other charges involving an incident at the ICE detention center at Delaney Hall in Newark two weeks ago.
The 13-minute-long hearing before Magistrate Stacey Adams was done via video by the request of McIver's attorneys, since she's in Washington, D.C., in an active session of Congress.
Prosecutors formally entered charges against the first-term member of Congress in a courtroom in the federal courthouse here. They elaborated on the criminal complaint they'd filed on Tuesday.
They alleged that in an incident at Delaney Hall on May 9, McIver assaulted federal agents during a confrontation. It took place when McIver and two other members of Congress, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez, went to inspect the detention facility, and tried to have Newark Mayor Ras Baraka join them.
Members of Congress are permitted by law to inspect federal facilities at any time, but when Baraka, who had already been allowed on the detention facility's grounds, had tried to enter into the building with the Congress members, he was turned away by police. The confrontation began when the members of Congress surrounded Baraka to prevent him from being handcuffed.
On Wednesday, prosecutors argued that they had evidence, including still images taken from body camera and aerial camera video at the facility, that showed McIver committing crimes causing physical harm to officers.
She was formally charged with two counts each of assault, resisting arrest, and impeding law enforcement. Prosecutors said that the charges carry a maximum sentence of eight years in prison or $250,000 fine if a defendant is found guilty.
McIver did not enter a plea, because this is her first appearance.
The judge released McIver on her own recognizance, with no bail. The judge also restricted her from traveling outside of the U.S., except on official business, or with notification to the court in the case of personal travel abroad.
McIver's next court date is a preliminary hearing, which was set for June 11. She will have to attend that hearing in person.