Lawyer wants local terror suspect to review tapes alone

The attorney for a man accused of plotting to attack the U.S. Capitol building asked a federal judge in Cincinnati Monday to allow the defendant to privately review video and audio files in the case against him.

The assistant federal public defender representing 21-year-old Christopher Lee Cornell said in a motion that the current order prohibiting defense counsel from leaving the files with him at the Boone County Jail isn't workable.

"Given the massive amount of electronic material provided, supervising Mr. Cornell's review of the material is so impractical as to be nearly impossible," Karen Savir wrote.

She said Cornell can use a jail computer set up without Internet access to review the files over a five-day period. Her motion says prosecutors are OK with that arrangement as long as he doesn't have access to outgoing mail.

U.S. District Judge Sandra Beckwith didn't rule immediately.

Cornell has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder of U.S. officials and employees and two other counts. His father has said Cornell was coerced by a "snitch" trying to improve his own legal situation.

Federal authorities said after his Jan. 14 arrest that they have video and audio recordings of meetings between a confidential informant and Cornell. Cornell's family has said agents also seized computers from their home in Green Township.

The FBI has said Cornell wanted to "wage jihad" by attacking the Capitol with pipe bombs and shooting government officials and employees.

Cornell, who uses the Muslim name of Raheel Mahrus Ubaydah, has been held without bond since his arrest outside a Colerain Township gun shop.