Torrance Man Involved in Correspondents’ Dinner Incident Now Under Suicide Watch, Lawyers Report
Motion Filed to Lift Suicide Restrictions for Cole Tomas Allen
Cole Tomas Allen, a Torrance man charged with attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, is currently subjected to suicide precautions, according to his legal team. His attorneys have filed a motion in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, arguing that these restrictions violate his due process rights and asserting that he shows no signs of suicidal behavior.
The motion, submitted on Saturday, claims that continued suicide precautions are unnecessary and infringe upon Allen’s dignity and access to necessary resources while incarcerated. "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," the defense attorneys stated.
Allen’s legal representatives noted that after a nurse’s assessment on Tuesday, he had been recommended for a more stringent suicide watch. The following day, a nurse suggested he be placed on lesser suicide precautions. However, the attorneys believe he remains under those restrictions despite recommendations for his removal from them.
A footnote in the court filing revealed that Allen is currently being held in a "safe cell," characterized as a padded room with constant lighting and 24-hour lockdown protocols. This includes wearing a vest similar to a straitjacket, mandatory strip searches when entering or exiting, and limited movement outside the cell restricted to legal or medical visits. His defense team indicated that he was expected to be moved to a regular cell by last Thursday or Friday.
The allegations against Allen detail his attempt to open fire outside the Washington Hilton Hotel’s ballroom during the dinner on April 25, where Trump and several administration officials were present. Federal authorities report that Allen, a registered guest at the hotel, was apprehended after rushing a security checkpoint armed with a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, knives, and ammunition.
With strong ties to Southern California, Allen attended Pacific Lutheran High School in Gardena, California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, and California State University, Dominguez Hills, as outlined in his LinkedIn profile.
NBC News contributed to this report.
