Lawyers for the man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last week have asked a judge to ease jail restrictions on him they describe as "punishment".

Cole Allen allegedly stormed a security checkpoint at the White House correspondents' dinner and fired a shotgun last Sunday.

When he was initially detained in a Washington jail on 27 April, the 31-year-old was assigned a "safe cell", described as a padded room with 24-hour lockdown procedures and a requirement to wear "a vest akin to a strait jacket", according to a filing by his lawyers in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

He was then downgraded to "suicide precautions", which means he could still not make phone calls, receive visits from anyone apart from his legal team, or spend time outside his cell except for legal visits or showers, with an escort.

On Friday a nurse recommended those precautions be ended, but they remained in place during a visit by one of his public defence lawyers that day, the filing states.

Allen's status "amounts to punishment" and denies him resources such as the use of a jail tablet, "which would permit him to communicate with loved ones outside of the jail", the filing says.

His lawyers believe he has been unable to review the case documents they left for him.

Allen is charged with attempted assassination, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegally transporting guns and ammunition across state lines.

The part-time tutor and amateur video game developer from California will remain in prison while he awaits trial, having not entered a plea during a brief court appearance.

Read more: What we know about suspected gunman

It comes as US Attorney ‌Jeanine Pirro said the government has evidence a federal agent was shot during the alleged assassination attempt - Sky News had reported he may have been shot by one of his colleagues.

Earlier this week, video was released that prosecutors say appears to show the suspect, Allen, trying to storm the correspondents' dinner, held at the Washington Hilton Hotel .

It appears to show him scoping out the venue and charging through a screening checkpoint with a raised firearm as a secret service agent opens fire.

Still images of the suspect on the night of the attack were released earlier this week as part of a court filing by the Department of Justice.

They showed Allen taking selfies with weapons, which prosecutors say included a sheathed knife, shoulder holster and bag filled with ammo.

(c) Sky News 2026: Trump dinner shooting suspect's lawyers want end to his 'punishment' jail conditions