> At a Glance
> – Brian Cole, 30, is seeking conditional release after being accused of planting pipe bombs at Capitol party headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021.
> – Attorneys cite his autism diagnosis and argue he posed no flight risk.
> – Prosecutors claim he took precautions-mask, gloves, disinfectant-and that the bombs were set to detonate 60 minutes after placement.
> – Why it matters: The case highlights how mental-health diagnoses are weighed against violent-crime charges in federal courts.
In a high-profile federal case tied to the January 6 events, 30-year-old Brian Cole is asking for conditional release while his attorneys argue that his mild autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder mitigate his culpability.
Defendants’ Motion and Diagnosis
In a motion filed Tuesday, Brian Cole‘s attorneys presented evidence of his mild autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, arguing that these conditions mitigate his culpability.
- Diagnosis: autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Character reference: “While I understand the seriousness of the charges against Brian Cole Jr., these charges seem totally out of character from the Brian Cole Jr. that I have observed over many years,”
- No flight risk: he has kept the same job, never moved, and followed a routine
Government Allegations
The government’s Sunday motion counters the defense, alleging that Cole wore a mask and gloves, wiped the devices with disinfectant, and performed more than 900 factory resets on his phone between December 2020 and his arrest.
- Mask, gloves, disinfectant
- >900 phone resets
- Statement to FBI: “something just snapped” after he had watched “everything getting worse.”
- Bombs set to detonate 60 minutes after placement
Bombs and Impact
According to the filing, the devices were not tested and failed to detonate, leaving no injuries or deaths. Prosecutors described the failure as luck rather than lack of effort.
> “set both devices to detonate 60 minutes after he placed them.”
Key Takeaways
- Brian Cole seeks conditional release citing autism.
- Prosecutors emphasize pre-planting precautions and political motives.
- The bombs failed to detonate, resulting in no injuries.
The case underscores the tension between mental-health considerations and the severity of charges in the federal court system.
