(Headline USA) The man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the San Francisco home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of attempted murder and attempted arson.
Daniel Alejandro Moreno-Gama, wearing an orange jail uniform, did not speak as his attorney entered the pleas during his arraignment in state court. The 20-year-old also faces federal charges.
Moreno-Gama, of Spring, Texas, hurled the flammable bomb at Altman’s home last month, setting an exterior gate alight before fleeing on foot, authorities allege. Less than an hour later, he went to OpenAI’s headquarters about 3 miles (5 kilometers) away and threatened to burn down the building, they say.
Diamond Ward, the public defender representing Moreno-Gama, said after the hearing that her client was experiencing a mental health crisis and had been excessively charged.
“Daniel is a kind, hard-working person who has been publicly advocating for peaceful measures to address the danger of AI on humanity,” she said.
She attributed Moreno-Gama’s actions to “a mental health crisis and not any desire to harm” and suggested prosecutors were trying to curry favor with Altman and were ignoring evidence of her client’s mental health issues.
During the hearing, Ward requested a mental health evaluation for Moreno-Gama. The judge granted the request and scheduled another hearing for later this month to discuss the results.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said last month that Moreno-Gama carried out a “targeted attack on Mr. Altman” and that prosecutors had evidence to substantiate the charges.
Moreno-Gama’s parents said in a statement shortly after the attack that he has never harmed anyone and recently began having mental health issues.
Authorities said Moreno-Gama, who works part-time at a pizzeria and is attending community college, expressed hatred of artificial intelligence in his writings, describing it as a danger to humanity and warning of “impending extinction,” according to court filings.
Officials haven’t said whether Altman was home at the time of the attack.
The state charges, which also include attempted arson and attempted criminal threats, carry penalties ranging from 19 years to life in prison.
Federal prosecutors charged Moreno-Gama with possession of an unregistered firearm, and damage and destruction of property by means of explosives. Those charges carry respective maximum prison sentences of 10 years and 20 years.
Moreno-Gama made an initial appearance in federal court on Friday.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.
