Watch CBS News

Judge To Decide If Orlando Gunman's Widow Will Be Freed Before Trial

 

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

SAN FRANCISCO (CBSMiami/AP) — The wife of a man who killed dozens of people in a shooting rampage at an Orlando nightclub will learn Wednesday whether she will be freed from jail before her trial.

Noor Salman, 31, has been charged with lying to investigators after the shooting at Pulse nightclub where Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. She has pleaded not guilty.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu had ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Salman before making a decision.

Prosecutors have argued against her release, saying she is a danger to the public. They accused her of accompanying Mateen on scouting trips to the bar. Mateen pledged allegiance to several terror organizations during the attack before police shot and killed him.

After the June 12th attack, Salman moved from Orlando to her mother's suburban San Francisco home, where she was arrested in January.

Salman initially said she didn't know anything about the attack but later told investigators Mateen abused steroids, was "pumped up" on the night of the attack and said "this is the one day" as he walked out the door, federal prosecutor Sara Sweeney has said in court.

Salman's attorney, Charles Swift, said outside court earlier this month that Salman made those statements without a lawyer present during an 18-hour interrogation immediately after the attack.

Sweeney also said the couple ran up $25,000 in credit card debt and spent $5,000 in cash in the days before the shooting. Among the purchases was an $8,000 diamond ring for Salman. In addition, Salman was reportedly made the death beneficiary of Mateen's bank account.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.