White House Correspondents' dinner shooting suspect is on restrictive suicide precautions, lawyers say
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Defense attorneys for Cole Tomas Allen, charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, have filed a motion to remove him from suicide precautions, arguing these measures violate his constitutional rights and are demeaning.
- Allen has been held under varying levels of suicide watch since his arrest, including time in a "safe cell" with strict restrictions that limit his communication and access to legal resources, despite no indications of suicidality and a nurse's recommendation to lift precautions.
- Prosecutors allege Allen was armed with multiple guns and knives when he breached security at the Washington Hilton on April 25, and video evidence shows him shooting a Secret Service officer; he is charged with attempted assassination and related firearm offenses.
- The incident caused a security scramble at the event, leading to the evacuation of dignitaries and cancellation of the dinner; Allen remains in custody without having entered a plea, as the case continues.
 { path { fill: %23EEEFE9 } })