Vance Boelter has pleaded not guilty in Hennepin County court Wednesday afternoon.
Boelter is charged with first degree murder in the politically motivated assassination of Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark, and wounding state Senator John Hoffman and his wife.
Boelter is already serving two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison on federal charges.
He wore his prison orange clothes to court Wednesday, sitting between his two attorneys and appearing to have lost weight in the past year as the charges, and trials played out.
His attorneys are demanding a speedy trial, which has now been set to begin November 2.
Boelter tried again to read a speech in court, but the judge refused, instead allowing one of his attorneys read it. The statement, in part, talked about Boelter being a "patriot" and threats of China on the American homeland.
His attorney have also filed a number of other motions, among them asking for a change of venue, and arguments against double jeopardy because of his life conviction in federal court.
Local defense attorney Chris Madel told WCCO's Chad Hartman Wednesday that the argument over double jeopardy will not work.
"The U.S. Supreme Court has already held that states and the federal government are separate sovereigns," Madel explains. "It's called the Separate Sovereign Doctrine, and they can try people separately for essentially the same stuff. And that argument is just not going to work."
Boelter is still being held in Hennepin County Jail on $5 million bail.
