A federal judge in New York raised concerns about the suicide clock a few weeks ago and the mental well-being of a man accused of being an accomplice in the bombing of a fertility clinic in Palm Springs.
Daniel Park, 32, died in hospital after being found unresponsive at the Metropolitan Detention Center.
A LA County medical inspector said the park was killed by suicide this week as a result of blunt instrument injuries.
Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollack asked about the injury to the park’s body, according to a transcript of the first appearance of the park in Brooklyn’s Eastern District of New York on June 4th.
“Well, one more question, the lawyers in light of Mr. Park’s claims. [sic] Should the court be concerned about suicide surveillance? ” asked Park’s defense attorney Jeffrey S. Dahlberg.
“I understand he has an injury that needs to be cared for. I’m not sure if they’re self-harmed or not. But if there’s an issue, I think you should know about it before he’s sent to the MDC.”
“I discussed with Park and we’re not worried about that,” Dahlberg said.
“It’s okay. It’s fine. Well, it’s recorded that the court raised the issue,” Judge Pollack said.
Dahlberg declined to comment on the park’s death hearing or circumstances in Los Angeles.
Federal officials say the park arrived at MDC on June 14 in anticipation of facing accusations of providing material support to terrorists.
The agency running the MDC, a spokesman for the Bureau of Prisons, declined to answer questions about whether the guards were aware of the exchange in New York courtrooms or whether they had taken special precautions to monitor the park.
The FBI said Friday it was investigating the death.
The criminal complaint filed against the park accused him of purchasing more than £200 of transport or ammonium nitrate. This is a chemical that is often used to make explosives. FBI agents said it is likely to be used in the Palm Springs bomb.
The complaint also alleged that Park shared so-called “anti-Natalist” ideological beliefs with bomber Guy Bartks, 25.
The FBI said Park, who lived in Washington, visited Bartks at home in January and February with 29 palms, and the pair conducted experiments to test various explosive prescriptions.
Jonathan Dienst of WNBC contributed to this story.
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