Correspondents' Dinner suspect is on suicide precautions, attorneys say
Cole Tomas Allen, the California man charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at a Washington, D.C. hotel one week ago, is on suicide precautions, according to his attorneys.
The 31-year-old’s lawyers filed a motion in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Saturday to have Allen released from suicide restrictions, saying they violate his rights under the due process clause and that “he has exhibited no indications of suicidality.”
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“Continued housing under suicide precautions is unnecessary and violates Mr. Allen’s due process rights by depriving him of dignity and access to resources inside the jail,” the defense attorneys wrote. “For these reasons, and any other such reasons as the Court may determine on a hearing on the motion, Mr. Allen requests the Court order the DOC to remove any and all suicide precautions.”
Allen’s lawyers say he was recommended for suicide watch — which is more strict than suicide precautions — after being assessed by a nurse on Tuesday. A day later, it was recommended that he be placed on precautions, according to the motion. The nurse recommended the next day he not be under either designation; however, his attorneys say they believe he is still on precautions.
According to a footnote in the court filing, Allen was being held in a D.C. Jail “safe cell,” described as a padded, constantly lit room with 24-hour lockdown procedures in place. It requires Allen to wear a vest similar to a straitjacket, be strip-searched when leaving and entering the room and not leave unless for legal or medical visits.
He was expected to be put in a regular cell by last Thursday or Friday, according to his defense team.
Allen is accused of opening fire on April 25 outside the Washington Hilton Hotel’s ballroom, where Trump and other administration officials had gathered with journalists for the annual dinner. Allen, who was a registered guest at the hotel, was taken into custody after he rushed a security checkpoint with a Mossberg 12-gauge pump action shotgun, knives and ammunition, according to federal authorities.
The tutor and engineer has several ties to Southern California. He attended Pacific Lutheran High School in Gardena, California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and California State University, Dominguez Hills, according to his LinkedIn profile.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
NBC News contributed to this report.
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