Robert Latta
Encyclopedia
Robert Allen Latta was a water meter
reader known for being a White House intruder
.
Latta, of Denver, Colorado
, holds a master's degree
in mechanical engineering
but worked as a water meter
reader for the Denver water department, where he held the Denver meter-reading record of 600 readings in a single day.
Time
magazine quoted his supervisor as saying "He is a phenomenon of accuracy and speed."
While on vacation
in Washington D.C. on January 20, 1985 (the day that President Ronald Reagan
was sworn-in for his second term) the 45-year-old Latta gained access to the White House
by following the 33 members of the Marine Band
past security. While carrying an overnight bag, he was able to wander around the Executive Residence
for 14 minutes, but was eventually discovered near the Blue Room
and was apprehended by Secret Service
agents, who noticed that he had neither a uniform nor an instrument. Latta was quoted as saying "I thought if I wasn't supposed to be there, somebody would stop me." and that "I just wanted to see the ceremony...I'm kind of patriotic."
Secret Service agents brought in dogs
to search for explosives and interrogated
Latta outside the White House. Later Latta was turned over to DC Police
and charged with a misdemeanor
count of unlawful entry. Latta was jailed for five days and interviewed by court-appointed psychiatrist
Dr. Norman L. Wilson, who discovered that Latta had voluntarily committed
himself to a psychiatric hospital
in June 1984 and heard voices
saying, "You blew it," according to documents filed in the District of Columbia Superior Court. Latta was committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital
.
Wilson recommended further psychiatric study of Latta and a hearing commissioner on January 21 ordered Latta to undergo mental evaluation, but that order was not received by city psychiatrists until three days later, several hours after he had posted bond on $1,000 bail
. Latta was quoted as saying the intrusion was "a mistake" but also "the high point of being in Washington" and that "I just wanted to see how far I could get." The unlawful entry had a maximum penalty of six months in jail, but because it was only a misdemeanor, D.C. prosecutors could not extradite
him from Colorado
if he did not return voluntarily.
Latta was arrested May 7, 1985, after he failed to show up for a court appearance in D.C. but was released on personal recognizance after Magistrate Judge
Donald E. Abram of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
set a hearing on whether he should be returned to D.C. to face charges.
Water meter
A water meter is a device used to measure the volume of water usage. This article provides an overview of technical aspects of water meters. The worldwide prevalence of metering as well as its economic benefits and costs are covered in the separate article on water metering.In many developed...
reader known for being a White House intruder
White House intruders
The White House is the official residence and office space of the President of the United States. Extensive security measures are used to protect the White House, primarily through the United States Secret Service....
.
Latta, of Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, holds a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
but worked as a water meter
Water meter
A water meter is a device used to measure the volume of water usage. This article provides an overview of technical aspects of water meters. The worldwide prevalence of metering as well as its economic benefits and costs are covered in the separate article on water metering.In many developed...
reader for the Denver water department, where he held the Denver meter-reading record of 600 readings in a single day.
Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine quoted his supervisor as saying "He is a phenomenon of accuracy and speed."
While on vacation
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
in Washington D.C. on January 20, 1985 (the day that President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
was sworn-in for his second term) the 45-year-old Latta gained access to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
by following the 33 members of the Marine Band
United States Marine Band
The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States...
past security. While carrying an overnight bag, he was able to wander around the Executive Residence
Executive Residence
The Executive Residence is the central building of the White House Complex located between the East Wing and West Wing. This central building, first constructed 1792–1800, is home to the President of the United States and the First Family. The Executive Residence primarily occupies three floors:...
for 14 minutes, but was eventually discovered near the Blue Room
Blue Room
Blue Room may refer to: In music: * Blue Room, a band that performed "Everytime You Go Away" at the end of the film Planes, Trains and Automobiles...
and was apprehended by Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agents, who noticed that he had neither a uniform nor an instrument. Latta was quoted as saying "I thought if I wasn't supposed to be there, somebody would stop me." and that "I just wanted to see the ceremony...I'm kind of patriotic."
Secret Service agents brought in dogs
Detection dog
A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to and works at using its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, or blood. Hunting dogs that search for game and search dogs that search for missing humans are generally not considered detection dogs...
to search for explosives and interrogated
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
Latta outside the White House. Later Latta was turned over to DC Police
Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
The Metropolitan Police Department, also known as the DC Police, DCPD, MPD, and MPDC is the municipal police force in Washington, D.C...
and charged with a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
count of unlawful entry. Latta was jailed for five days and interviewed by court-appointed psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Dr. Norman L. Wilson, who discovered that Latta had voluntarily committed
Voluntary commitment
Voluntary commitment is the act or practice of a person being admitted to a psychiatric hospital, or other mental health facility, voluntarily, and without the process of involuntary commitment...
himself to a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
in June 1984 and heard voices
Hallucination
A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
saying, "You blew it," according to documents filed in the District of Columbia Superior Court. Latta was committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital
St. Elizabeths Hospital
St. Elizabeths Hospital is a psychiatric hospital operated by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. It was the first large-scale, federally-run psychiatric hospital in the United States. Housing several thousand patients at its peak, St. Elizabeths had a fully functioning...
.
Wilson recommended further psychiatric study of Latta and a hearing commissioner on January 21 ordered Latta to undergo mental evaluation, but that order was not received by city psychiatrists until three days later, several hours after he had posted bond on $1,000 bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
. Latta was quoted as saying the intrusion was "a mistake" but also "the high point of being in Washington" and that "I just wanted to see how far I could get." The unlawful entry had a maximum penalty of six months in jail, but because it was only a misdemeanor, D.C. prosecutors could not extradite
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
him from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
if he did not return voluntarily.
Latta was arrested May 7, 1985, after he failed to show up for a court appearance in D.C. but was released on personal recognizance after Magistrate Judge
United States magistrate judge
In the United States federal courts, magistrate judges are appointed to assist United States district court judges in the performance of their duties...
Donald E. Abram of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
The United States District Court for the District of Colorado is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Colorado. The United States Congress organized Colorado as a single judicial district on June 26, 1876, by 19 Stat. 61...
set a hearing on whether he should be returned to D.C. to face charges.