When Riverside County deputies arrested Nevada resident Vern Miller outside of Donald Trump's rally in Coachella last weekend, Sheriff Chad Bianco was quick to accuse Miller of plotting to kill the Republican presidential candidate. In comments to reporters, Bianco called Miller a lunatic and said his deputies "probably... prevented the third assassination attempt". 

Miller, who faces charges of illegal possession of a loaded firearm and large capacity magazine, contends that he's a supporter of Trump and had no desire or plan to attack anyone at the rally, including the candidate. Instead, he says he traveled from Nevada to California with his legally purchased handgun and shotgun as a matter of self-defense, and he was the one who voluntarily informed the deputies that he had his guns with him when he was stopped at a security checkpoint near the rally; an odd admission if he intended something nefarious. 

Now Miller has filed a lawsuit accusing Bianco and deputies for violating his First and Fourth Amendment rights, alleging that the officers "engaged in deliberate and wrongful conduct and compromised police protocol violating Miller’s constitutional rights for the purpose of promoting and engaging in a meritless and gratuitous sensational story."

In his complaint, Miller contends that when Bianco made his comments the day after Miller's arrest, the sheriff knew that the FBI and Secret Service had declined to interview him or charge him with any federal crime. Still, when Bianco addressed the media the sheriff made several statements suggesting that Miller posed a threat to Trump's life. 

Immediately after Miller’s arrest, Defendant Bianco did not miss an opportunity to fabricate allegations against Miller, going on numerous news outlets, claiming to have thwarted a third assassination attempt against Presidential Candidate Donald J. Trump. 

On October 13, 2024, Defendant Bianco conducted press conferences makingpreposterous allegations against Miller including the following:

• Miller had multiple fake passports and fake driver licenses with different names;

• Miller was a member of a sovereign citizens group;

• The interior of the vehicle was in disarray;

• Miller showed up with an unlicensed, unregistered vehicle with fake plates;

• Weapons and ammunition with all the monstrous red flags of intent to assassinate the President;

• Miller presented a fake VIP and press passes at the check point;

• Bianco prevented another assassination attempt on the President;

Even after being notified by both United States Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation that they did not believe Miller was a threat and declined to interview him, Defendant Bianco, continued to make preposterous allegations against Miller, holding press conferences perpetuating his delusional and false narrative.

In the lawsuit, Miller's attorney says the sheriff's allegation that his client had presented fake VIP and press passes is "perhaps, the most egregious allegation, since Miller was actually provided expedited special entry passes by the Trump 47 campaign directly." And instead of apologizing to Miller for accusing him of wanting to assassinate Trump, "Defendant Bianco... perpetuated a boisterous and delusional narrative that has caused irreparable harm to Miller’s character and reputation."

Miller also alleges that the deputies' search of his car violated his Fourth Amendment rights, arguing that it was an unlawful and warrantless act on the part of law enforcement. 

I'm somewhat surprised that Miller didn't also include a claim that his Second Amendment rights were violated, given that under California law the right to keep and bear arms is almost non-existent when it comes to non-residents, but perhaps he's saving that argument for the misdemeanor charges he faces for bringing his guns across the state line. 

As my colleague Jazz Shaw reports over at HotAir, Miller says he's now living in hiding and in fear for his life after Bianco's comments, worried that a Trump supporter might try to "take him out" in response to the sheriff's claims. 

I have no idea what, if anything, Miller was planning for last weekend, or why he felt the need to travel with both a handgun and shotgun for self-defense, but if there's any evidence that Miller was intent on causing harm at Trump's rallies federal authorities have yet to disclose it. It's been four days since Miller was arrested, and to date the only charges he's facing are misdemeanor violations of California's draconian gun control regime. After two prior attempts on Trump's life I can understand Bianco's desire to be security-conscious when it came to Trump's Coachella rally, but labeling Miller an attempted assassin after the fact is still puzzling, especially when those charged with protecting Trump haven't said anything of the sort.