SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Daniel Moreno-Gama, the man accused of attempting to murder OpenAI CEO Sam Altman by throwing a Molotov cocktail at his San Francisco home, is reportedly suffering from a mental health crisis, claims his public defender.
Following his first court appearance on state charges, the judge ordered that he be held without bail and postponed the arraignment to May 5.
Prosecutors allege that Moreno-Gama hurled the incendiary device at Altman’s residence last Friday, igniting an exterior gate. He subsequently fled the scene but later appeared at OpenAI’s headquarters, threatening to set the building ablaze. He is said to have traveled to the city from Texas.
No injuries were reported during the incidents at Altman’s home or the company’s offices. Public Defender Diamond Ward criticized the prosecution’s approach, contending that the case should be classified as a property crime, not an attempted murder, aimed at gaining favor with Altman, who is a billionaire.
In a statement, Ward referred to the case as “unjust” and accused the authorities of exploiting Moreno-Gama's vulnerability amid his mental illness.
According to court filings, Moreno-Gama, 20, expressed vehement opposition to artificial intelligence in his writings, branding it a threat to humanity and speaking of “impending extinction.”
Authorities assert Moreno-Gama's actions were calculated and posed serious threats, with FBI San Francisco Acting Special Agent in Charge, Matt Cobo, emphasizing that the actions were premeditated during a news conference on Monday.
Moreno-Gama faces state charges in California including two counts of attempted murder and attempted arson, which could lead to 19 years to life in prison. Additionally, federal charges include possession of an unregistered firearm and destruction of property via explosives, which could carry sentences of 10 and 20 years, respectively.
U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian declared the intent to treat the incident as domestic terrorism and to pursue maximum prosecution. The federal documentation regarding the case does not indicate legal representation for Moreno-Gama as of yet.
His writings allegedly contained threats against Altman and other AI executives. Advocacy groups alarmed by violence against the AI community condemned the incident. Anthony Aguirre, Future of Life Institute's CEO, stated that violence against discussions surrounding AI is unacceptable, while another group, PauseAI, asserted that Moreno-Gama had no active role in their organization, despite previous forum participation.
Discord also confirmed Moreno-Gama's banning for “off-platform behavior.”
