The attorney representing Cole Allen, the man accused of plotting an attack at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, has filed an emergency motion demanding a confidential meeting with his client ahead of a critical court appearance.
Public defender A.J. Kramer claims that the Department of Corrections has repeatedly denied him the ability to speak privately with Allen, violating his right to attorney-client privilege. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Kramer attempted to meet with Allen on Tuesday in a designated attorney room but was instead forced to conduct the conversation in what he describes as a public area.
Kramer alleges that Allen was placed inside a locked cage in five-point restraints, communicating via telephone while Kramer sat in an open lobby surrounded by jail staff and other attorneys who could overhear every word. The defender argues that this arrangement compromises the confidentiality essential to legal representation.
Allen faces three federal charges, including attempted assassination of the President of the United States, a crime that carries a potential life sentence. His next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
A judge has granted the emergency motion, though details of the permitted meeting remain undisclosed.