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Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes — not that we’re counting.
After 48 days and around $10 million in costs, suspected Pennsylvania cop killer Eric Frein finally appeared in court Friday morning after leading police on a chase through the Poconos.
Frein was arraigned in Pike County and was, unsurprisingly, denied bail by Magisterial District Judge Shannon Muir. Officials have said they’ll seek the death penalty.
Here are six things we learned:
1. The capture of Eric Frein was not the result of a tip or a sighting. The Pike County DA Raymond Tonkin said the capture was the result of “ongoing pressure put on Frein by law enforcement” including grid searches and woodland searches. One of the teams — U.S. Marshals — located him as part of a routine sweep through the woods. Officials today said there were weapons in the hangar where he was found.
#BREAKING: PSP Col. Bivens says capture of #EricFrein was result of hard work by investigators and pressure put on Frein.
— Monica Madeja (@MonicaReports) October 31, 2014
2. Despite that gash on his nose in his booking photo, law enforcement officials say there was no struggle when Frein was captured. Rather, police say those were injuries sustained as Frein skulked in the woods for 48 days.
3. He has spoken since his arrest, but police won’t be commenting specifically on any statements he’s made as it’s part of an ongoing investigation that officials are building. However, police did say that they believe Frein had planned the attack for years, and characterized his actions as “pure evil.”
Lt. Col. George Bivens: We’re not prepared to discuss a motive. He has spoken since his arrest. #EricFrein @69News
— Jaciel Cordoba (@JacielCordoba) October 31, 2014
4. The man described as a “survivalist” was apparently emotionless in court as hundreds of media and spectators were there to watch him be denied bail. Reporters in the courthouse indicated he answered the judge’s questions in a straight-forward manner.
Frein showed no emotion in court. He walked right in front of me. Eyes on the ground, looking away from courtroom filled w/ media, locals — Kyle Rogers (@KyleCBS21) October 31, 2014
5. Officials at a press conference Friday said they haven’t done the math yet, but the search for Eric Frein cost taxpayers “somewhere in the ballpark” of $10 million.
6. Frein has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 12 in Pike County, which he can either waive (sometimes a sign of a guilty plea) or attend the hearing, in which the judge then decides whether or not to bind over charges for trial. He’ll have the opportunity to ask for a public defender before that point, but in many high-profile cases, preliminary hearings are postponed.