A U.S. federal judge, Zia Faruqui, has apologised to Cole Allen, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump last month, over what he described as “extreme” treatment while in custody, including the use of five-point restraints.
Faruqui tendered the apology during a court hearing on Monday after being informed that Allen had been placed on suicide watch at the District of Columbia jail following his arrest at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner last April.
Defence lawyers told the court that their client was initially held in solitary confinement without access to personal belongings or jail visits, despite repeated assessments indicating no risk of suicide.
Allen has since been removed from suicide watch, leading his lawyer to withdraw a motion that had challenged his detention under those conditions.
The judge expressed dissatisfaction with how the defendant had been treated in custody and rejected prosecutors’ justification for the suicide watch placement. “Whatever you’ve been through, I apologise for the prior week,” he said.
He also described the use of restraints as alarming, saying he was not aware of similar measures being applied in comparable cases.
“To me, it’s extremely disturbing that he was put in five-point restraints, a person with no criminal history. It’s troubling. I never heard of one January 6 defendant who was put in five-point restraints or in a safe cell. If the only way to keep him safe is the most punitive thing, that’s a problem,” he said.
“At a minimum, I should be apologising to him. We are obligated to make sure he’s taken care of. Allen, I’m sorry that things have not been the way they are supposed to,” the judge added.
The apology has triggered criticism from supporters of President Trump, including several Republican lawmakers, who questioned why a judge would apologise to a defendant accused of attempting to assassinate a sitting president.
Senator Mike Lee reacted on X, saying the development was troubling given the seriousness of the allegations.
Senator Tim Sheehy also criticised the judge’s conduct, while Congressman Abe Hamadeh described the situation as unacceptable, arguing that it reflected broader concerns about judicial handling of high-profile federal cases.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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