Cody Balmer, a 38-year-old man, has pleaded guilty to attempted murder among other charges related to an arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion that occurred on April 13.
Balmer’s plea includes a range of offenses such as terrorism, 22 counts of arson, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault against Governor Josh Shapiro.
He also faced 21 counts of reckless endangerment and loitering, stemming from the destruction he caused to the state-owned residence.
The attack allegedly resulted in millions of dollars in damages, prompting a swift legal response.
As part of a plea deal, Balmer has been sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.
At the time of the incident, Governor Shapiro and his family were at the mansion and had to be evacuated in the middle of the night, although no injuries were reported.
The severity of Balmer’s actions was underscored in court, where prosecutors presented surveillance video showing Molotov cocktails being used and a figure moving both outside and inside the governor’s residence.
Judge Deborah Curcillo described the footage as ‘horrific’ and ‘very frightening.’
In court documents, Balmer detailed his plan to confront Governor Shapiro with a small sledgehammer had he encountered him, revealing the premeditated nature of his attack.
Balmer turned himself in to authorities the following afternoon, facing charges including attempted homicide and terrorism.
Investigations indicated that he breached the southern wing of the mansion, entering a room typically used for entertaining.
The response from law enforcement led to the recovery of two broken beer bottles that contained petrol, which were used to ignite the fire, damaging walls, furniture, and other property within the residence.
Existing window panes and brick around doors and windows also suffered significant damage due to the blaze.
Notably, the fire was ignited shortly after Governor Shapiro’s family celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Questions have arisen regarding Balmer’s motives, particularly in light of the timing of the attack.
However, Balmer claimed in a letter sent to The Associated Press that religion played no role in his actions.
In his words, ‘He can be Jewish, Muslim, or a purple people eater for all I care and as long as he leaves me and mine alone.’
In a video interview from Camp Hill State Prison, Balmer expressed awareness of the potential risks to children despite his actions.
He remarked, ‘Does anyone ever consider children? It doesn’t seem that way. I sure as hell did. I’m glad no one got hurt.’
When questioned about the perceived wrongs attributed to Governor Shapiro, Balmer refused to provide further details.
Balmer’s mother revealed that she had sought help for his mental health challenges prior to the incident, asserting that assistance was not forthcoming.
Furthermore, his lawyer has indicated that court proceedings were adjourned to allow Balmer to receive necessary mental health treatment.
During a subsequent court appearance, he characterized himself as an unemployed welder with no financial resources and several children to care for.
The governor’s mansion, which was built in 1968, notably lacked modern sprinklers, and reconstruction efforts to address the inflicted damage along with enhanced security measures are currently underway.
image source from：aljazeera
